Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Toronto cop collects $1M while suspended

Toronto cop earned $1M over 12 year suspension - Cristina Howorun, CITY News:

May 7, 2019 - "Const. Ioan-Florin Floria, who has been off the job since he was nabbed in a big drug sweep in 2007, earned over $300,000 in salary over the past three years and has been taking home a regular paycheque for the past 12 years, without even clocking in for a shift.

"Floria is one of 20 Toronto police officers currently on paid suspension, according to data obtained by CityNews through a Freedom of Information request. The names of the officers weren’t released but their suspension dates, divisions, and ranks detail an ongoing problem for Toronto Police – and many other police services across the province. Officers bringing home six-figure salaries – sometimes for years – without providing any level of public service....

"Arrested in 2007 and charged with several criminal offences linked with organized crime, the traffic services officer has stayed on the payroll for over a decade without delivering a single ticket. In 2012 a jury acquitted him of six criminal charges ... but his charges under the Police Services Act still lingered. Nearly two years ago, he was found guilty on four Police Service Act charges, including breach of confidence and discredible conduct, but he appealed that ruling and last year, earned over $100,000 while his appeal makes its way through the tribunal process.

"Floria’s isn’t the only case. There’s the Toronto Courts officer who was suspended in 2004 and continued collecting a salary until 2013 when he or she was suspended without pay.... Or Constables Leslie Nyznik, Joshua Cabero and Sameer Kara, who were suspended with pay in 2015 after being charged with sexually assaulting a female parking enforcement officer during a night of partying....

"While cases like this make up a small percentage of all police behavior – ... there are over 5,000 TPS officers on payroll and only 20 are suspended – they can be costly. As of 2016, a first class constable earned over $98,000 per year – meaning even with the current suspensions, TPS has spent about $2-million [a year] on wages for work that couldn’t be done....

"That’s because under the current legislation, one of the only ways officers can ... be suspended without pay is when they are convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to jail time. Officers can also be suspended without pay if charged with a 'serious offence' under the criminal code – something that has not yet been defined – and a far cry from what the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police has been lobbying for, for years – namely to be able to suspend without pay if serious charges are laid under the Police Services Act....

"City News reached out to Toronto Police several times for this story but have not yet received a statement or comment at the time of publication."

'via Blog this'

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