Two Ottawa police officers charged with corruption offences in a tow-truck kickback scheme have resigned as police officers and have had their criminal charges stayed by a Crown prosecutor.
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Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
Three veteran Ontario Provincial Police officers are facing charges for giving preferential treatment to certain tow-truck operators, in the latest corruption probe to target an industry long plagued with violence.
In an interview Saturday, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said he received an internal complaint back in early 2019 about the relationship between some of his officers and towing operators.
In April, the RCMP announced three Ottawa police officers were charged with breach of trust following an investigation into an alleged plot to tip off some local tow truck drivers to collision scenes in exchange for fees. The Mounties say the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) contacted them in July of 2019 with a request to have the anti-corruption unit investigate a possible breach. The subsequent criminal investigation identified OPS employees who were believed to be acting in concert with particular operators of the Ottawa area tow truck industry, and providing information on vehicle accidents for a fee, the RCMP said in a press release.