OPP officer charged after allegedly using false evidence to lay speeding charges

Ontario Provincial Police officer Sergeant Dennis Mahoney-Bruer has been charged with three counts of breach of trust and one count of attempting to obstruct justice, after he allegedly falsely charged three drivers with speeding in the past month, the Toronto Star reported today.

The alleged false charges have led the OPP to begin a review of traffic stops and some criminal cases. Prosecutors and the OPP will review Mahoney-Bruer’s past cases to see if there is any evidence of other suspicious activity, but the police have not determined nor disclosed how in depth or far-reaching this investigation will be. However, Mahoney-Bruer has worked for the OPP for 12 years.

Thus far the response of the OPP is positive, as it was quick to initiate the investigation. At this point no motive for the alleged false charges has been disclosed, but in order to restore public confidence in OPP officers involved in highway traffic enforcement, one may be required. OPP commissioner Julian Fantino wrote in a statement regarding the charges "I believe that the public trust is a fundamental cornerstone of the OPP and policing."

Posted by Ashley Paterson (Law II) (LEAP Summer Intern)