THUNDER BAY, Ont. — A former in-house lawyer for the Thunder Bay police has been charged as part of a criminal investigation led by the Ontario Provincial Police into allegations of misconduct.
OPP say 37-year-old Holly Walbourne is facing three counts of obstruction of justice, one count of breach of trust and one count of obstructing a public or peace officer.
The charges come after Ontario's Attorney General asked the OPP in late 2021 to look into allegations of misconduct by members of the police force. In a brief written statement, lawyers acting for Walbourne say they are"shocked and disappointed" by the OPP's decision to charge her. The police service and police board released a joint statement saying Walbourne is no longer providing any services after she resigned nearly a year ago but continued working on retainer partly to offer transitional support to a newly appointed chief.
The force has faced intense scrutiny in recent years after reports found its investigations into the sudden deaths of Indigenous people had been tainted by racist attitudes and stereotyping, while others raised concerns about the ability of its senior leaders to run day-to-day operations.
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.
Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce Shift: Thunder Bay's Young Professionals Network ReturnsShift: Thunder Bay's Young Professionals Network, developed by young professionals more than 10 years ago, is making a comeback after being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The network aims to provide networking and collaboration opportunities for individuals between 19 and 40 years old from various professions and backgrounds.
Read more »
Former Thunder Bay Police Service Lawyer Charged in Criminal InvestigationA former in-house lawyer for the Thunder Bay Police Service has been charged in a continuing criminal investigation of the service by the Ontario Provincial Police.
Read more »
Former Thunder Bay Police Service lawyer faces obstruction chargesThunder Bay police have determined that each of its 148,000 searches of the COVID-19 database was for 'a proper purpose', says the police service lawyer Holly Walbourne, (l) in this file photo from 2018, with Police Chief Sylvie Hauth.
Read more »
Research in Thunder Bay may lead to new mineral depositsA Lakehead University team received $2 million to help advance the search for critical minerals
Read more »
Good Morning, Thunder Bay!Here's a look at the current local weather and gas prices.
Read more »
Research in Thunder Bay may lead to new mineral depositsA Lakehead University team received $2 million to help advance the search for critical minerals
Read more »