An Ontario police force has been accused of letting a deputy chief off the hook for speeding tickets. The results of an investigation into the allegations have not been provided, despite repeated requests for details.
Last June, The Toronto Star reported Durham Police Deputy Chief Chris Kirkpatrick was allegedly pulled over in his unmarked vehicle after speeding through a school zone. The next day, he was stopped for allegedly driving 50 km/h over the speed limit, according to the newspaper. In Ontario, that offence comes with a charge of stunt driving, an impounded vehicle and a suspended licence. Both times, the high-ranking officer was reportedly allowed to drive away without being given a ticket.
In an email to CTV National News, Durham Police says, “We are aware of allegations that were made against Deputy Kirkpatrick. Upon becoming aware of the allegations, Chief Moreira referred the matter to the Police Service Board.”
CTV News has learned that Durham’s police board requested that Peel Regional Police conduct an independent investigation.
Peel Police confirmed to CTV News that they did “conduct an investigation for the Durham Police Services Board in relation to Deputy Chief Kirkpatrick,” and went on to state simply, “The investigation was completed and the report has been provided to them. For any further details, please contact the Durham Regional Police Services Board for comment.”
When CTV News sought clarification, multiple board members declined to comment, referring inquiries to the chair of the police board in Durham, Shaun Collier, who is also the mayor of Ajax, Ont. However, emails to Collier have so far gone unanswered, as has a request to make the findings in the police report public.
“It’s not enough to say ‘no comment.’ We’re not dealing with a private company here. We’re talking about the police who have obligation first and foremost to the public,” said Shakir Rahim with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
“Police have a responsibility to the public to fairly and impartially uphold the law.”
According to the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition member Anna Willats, the Durham Police Service Board’s silence about the details surrounding the investigation into Deputy Chief Kirkpatrick shines a light on a systemic problem around transparency and policing across Canada.
Reflecting on her own challenges when trying to obtain information from police agencies, Willats told CTV News, “If you’ve spoken to anyone who’s had to submit a Freedom of Information request it takes a long time to get that request responded to.”
Willats acknowledges that there are “many ways to delay justice,” but emphasized that “justice delayed is justice denied.”
