"RCMP search head office of OPP Association as part of criminal investigation"

[The Bread Guy]

This from Sun Media:

RCMP have raided the offices of the Ontario Provincial Police Association as part of a criminal investigation.

Mounties seized items for their investigation when they executed several search warrants on Friday at the head office of the OPPA — the union which represents rank-and-file OPP officers — in Barrie.

“The RCMP is investigating the OPP Association, but the search warrant is sealed and we aren’t revealing its contents,” RCMP spokesman Const. Jean Juneau said Monday.

“We are in the very early stages and there are no charges pending.”

The search warrant also included the offices of OPPA president Jim Christie, vice-president Martin Bain and chief administrative officer Karl Walsh.

Christie and Bain have taken a voluntary leave of absence. Walsh has been placed on an administrative leave by the association’s board of directors.

“These actions should not be considered admissions or implications of wrong doing or liability by anyone or by the association. The association has no knowledge of any charges being laid against any person at this time,” an OPPA release said.

“The association has fully cooperated with the RCMP investigation by providing them with the items identified in their search warrant.”​

OPPA spokesman Josh Jutras said the organization is obtaining legal advice on the matter.

Lauren Callighen​, a spokesman for Community Safety Minister Yasir Naqvi, said the investigation is an “active police matter” so the ministry will not comment.

“The OPP and the OPP Association operate entirely independently,” she said ....

More from the Barrie Examiner:

RCMP officers raided the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA) headquarters in Barrie, Friday.

The Mounties executed 13 search warrants from the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto at the OPP's union office on Ferris Lane at 8:30 a.m., pertaining directly to the offices of president and CEO Jim Christie, vice-president Martin Bain and CAO Karl Walsh.

Christie and Bain have taken voluntary leaves of absence from the OPPA, and Walsh has been placed on administrative leave by the association's board of directors.

“No, be sure that it has nothing to do with the Ontario Provincial Police Corporation or the Ontario Provincial Police Association,” said Const. Jean Juneau, a spokesman with the RCMP. “It has nothing to do with either of them. It's individuals within.” ....

This from the OPP Association:

On Friday, March 6, 2015, RCMP officers executed a search warrant at the Head Office of the OPP Association in Barrie, Ontario.  The RCMP is conducting a criminal investigation and believed that evidence to support its investigation could be found in the OPP Association Head Office as well as the offices of President Christie, Vice President Bain and CAO Walsh.

The Association has fully cooperated with the RCMP investigation by providing them with the items identified in their search warrant.

In the best interests of the Association and its membership, effective immediately, President Christie and Vice-President Bain have taken voluntary leaves of absence from the OPP Association. In addition, CAO Walsh has been placed on administrative leave by the Board of Directors. These actions should not be considered admissions or implications of wrongdoing or liability by anyone or by the Association. The Association has no knowledge of any charges being laid against any persons at this time.

All the lawful authority of the Association is now with Acting President Lewis, Acting Vice-President Provost, the Board of Directors and Acting CAO Briscoe. These steps will ensure that the day-to-day operations of the OPP Association continue.

Acting President Lewis and the Board of Directors would like to thank the Staff of the Association for their dedication during this difficult time. They wish to reassure members of the Association that the high level of professional service they have received in the past will continue.

The Association is in the process of obtaining specialized independent legal advice with respect to this matter.

As this investigation is ongoing, the OPP Association will not be commenting further at this time.

 

[The_Falcon]

Curious to know what exactly this is about. At least the top brass have stepped down, which is the proper thing to do (hint hint wynne).  It also makes for bad sketch comedy where the OPP has what 3 (4) ongoing criminal investigations into the provincial government, and now their union is being investigated by another police service for potential criminal wrongdoing.... ???

 

[The Bread Guy]

Curious to know what exactly this is about. At least the top brass have stepped down, which is the proper thing to do (hint hint wynne).  It also makes for bad sketch comedy where the OPP has what 3 (4) ongoing criminal investigations into the provincial government, and now their union is being investigated by another police service for potential criminal wrongdoing.... ???

With you on the yellow bit, but to be fair, so far, it's just folks in the union (yeah, I know, splitting hairs):

“No, be sure that it has nothing to do with the Ontario Provincial Police Corporation or the Ontario Provincial Police Association,” said Const. Jean Juneau, a spokesman with the RCMP. “It has nothing to do with either of them. It's individuals within.”

Still, this tidbit from the Barrie paper is intriguing:

.... (Association CAO Carl) Walsh was the provincial Liberal candidate for the Barrie riding in the 2011 Ontario election, losing to Tory Rod Jackson. At the time, Walsh had been a police officer for 14 years and served in the Canadian Forces for 14 years. He had led the OPPA as president for two terms ....

Wonder if THAT's the source of strife .... or maybe CTV Barrie has a better inside line:

.... sources indicate the Mounties are acting on a complaint and are looking into allegations of theft, fraud, criminal breach of trust, laundering proceeds of crime and fraudulent concealment ....

Watch and shoot for now, I guess ....

 

[mariomike]

Watch and shoot for now, I guess ....

Jun 16, 2016

OPP union officials face criminal charges following RCMP investigation
http://www.680news.com/2016/06/16/opp-union-officials-face-criminal-charges-following-rcmp-investigation/
The RCMP say criminal charges have been laid against five people following an investigation into allegations of fraud by top leaders of the union that represents Ontario Provincial Police.