Opp officers charged under street racing legislation

[BOTLFEDLT1]

When I first read the headline, I was picturing two cruisers getting pinched by one of their own after lining 'em up at the lights, but still.. poetic justice that two cops are charged. I wonder if the cruisers got impounded for a week like everyone else


Opp officers charged under street racing legislation
One Injured In Crash

Shannon Kari, National Post
Published: Friday, May 16, 2008

Two Ontario Provincial Police officers have been charged this year with street racing offences while on duty and driving their cruisers.

Constable Lloyd Tapp, 43, was charged with two counts under the Highway Traffic Act after he was allegedly driving more than 50 kilometres over the speed limit on Highway 35-115, southwest of Peterborough.

The officer was charged last month, two weeks after the alleged incident. The charges were not made public until earlier this week, when reported in the Peterborough Examiner.

The OPP normally has a policy of issuing news releases when officers are charged, Inspector Dave Ross said yesterday.

"There was an administrative oversight, which we have since rectified," said Insp. Ross, a spokesman in the OPP's corporate communications bureau.

The charge of racing does not mean the officer was allegedly speeding alongside another car, only that he is accused of driving more than 50 kilometres over the speed limit.

As a result of what he described as "evidentiary issues," Insp. Ross said he could not disclose anything more than that the officer was on duty and in a marked car.

Const. Tapp has been moved to administrative duties while his case moves through the courts.

The other officer charged, Constable Michael Deyell, is recovering from injuries suffered during a late-night collision with two horses on a highway, also near Peterborough. Const. Deyell is accused of driving more than 60 kilometres over the speed limit and is facing several Highway Traffic Act charges. He suffered serious injuries in the collision and the horses were killed.

His case has been adjourned until July and defence lawyer Leo Kinahan said yesterday that he is waiting for more information from the prosecution before deciding how to proceed.

Street racing laws that took effect last year call for an immediate one-week suspension of a driver's licence and impounding of the vehicle.

The licences of the officers were not suspended, but Insp. Ross stated that this is not automatic. Whether or not a licence is suspended immediately is a "discretionary decision" done on a "case-by-case basis," Insp. Ross said.

Both officers were investigated by the OPP's central region traffic and marine unit.

A spokeswoman for Rick Bartolucci, the provincial Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, said yesterday he would not comment on what he called the "day-to-day operations of the OPP" or the fact that two officers have been charged with racing offences.

[Drizzle]

Made me grin. Now, seeing as those two knew the law/are the law, there should be double the consequence

[Soup]

haha they'll probably end up with no real consequences, but it's still hilarious.

[Nortad]

lol. i´d love to see a couple of crown vics interceptors racing from red light to red light

[STIvsSVT]

Glad to see them with a bloddy nose for making such a stupid law in the first place.