Three Durham police officers have been found guilty of discreditable conduct, and one of them has also been found guilty of neglect of duty by a disciplinary tribunal in connection with the handling of the 2016 incident which saw Dafonte Miller severely assaulted by an off-duty officer.
Miller was chased down by Michael Theriault, an off-duty Toronto police officer, and his brother Christian who believed the then-19-year-old Black man was breaking into cars around the family’s home in Whitby. The teen lost an eye after he was beaten with a metal pipe in the incident.
The tribunal handed down its decision Wednesday on the conduct of the officers involved and found that all three “demonstrated a pro-police bias” in their handling of the case. Walton found that Gendron was negligent for not carrying her memo book with her when she went to speak to two potential witnesses. She said that she did not feel it was necessary to record what they told her because she believed from their comments that they had not observed what happened.
“While being restrained on the ground, Mr. Miller stated to Constable Zabdyr that he had been hit with something,” the report states. “Constable Theriault then escorted Mr. Miller to the police cruiser with the assistance of a Durham Regional Police officer and conducted a pat-down search.” “I find the evidence clear and convincing; despite the obvious evidence at the scene, no one questioned the disparity of injuries, they accepted the version of events presented by the Theriault brothers,” Walton wrote in his report. “I find it difficult to comprehend that not one of the officers in attendance thought it prudent to investigate whether the injuries suffered by Mr. Miller were justified, excessive, and/or proportionate.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Durham officers guilty of 'pro-police bias' in Dafonte Miller case: tribunal | CBC NewsThree Durham officers committed professional misconduct when they showed 'pro-police bias,' conducting an inadequate investigation of the incident that led to an off-duty Toronto constable being convicted of assaulting Dafonte Miller, according to a disciplinary tribunal ruling.
Read more »
Durham officers exhibited ‘pro-police bias’ in handling of Dafonte Miller case, tribunal findsThree Durham police officers have been found guilty of discreditable conduct, and one of them has also been found guilty of neglect of duty by a disciplinary tribunal in connection with the handling of the 2016 incident which saw Dafonte Miller severely assaulted by an off-duty officer.
Read more »
Durham Region youths charged after Shoppers Drug Mart fragrance theftThe aroma of defeat was in the air for seven youths charged in a fragrance robbery investigation in Whitby.
Read more »
Durham cops hunting man accused of trying to light someone on fireDurham Regional Police said the suspect was hiding June 7 near the entrance of a business in the Simcoe St.\u002DJohn St. W. area of Oshawa.
Read more »
As last year's orphan bear cubs are released, three new babies arrive“Believe me, the love here is only one way. They don’t like us and that’s fine. That’s the way it should be.”
Read more »