Toronto police who allegedly ate pot edibles on duty called for help after ‘hallucinations’
CBC News has learned Const. Vittorio Dominelli and his partner have been suspended
By Amara McLaughlin, CBC News
Two Toronto police officers who allegedly ingested marijuana edibles, hallucinated and called for help while on duty Sunday have been suspended, CBC News has learned.
Both officers are under investigation by the force’s professional standards unit following an incident that happened Sunday, according to Mark Pugash, a spokesperson for Toronto Police Service.
CBC News has learned the officers, who work at 13 Division, were on duty not far from the station at Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road when they allegedly ingested pot edibles.
Police sources tell CBC News the officers began to complain of “hallucinations” and one made a call for an officer needing assistance. Both officers were found in a police vehicle and later treated in hospital.
During the call, another officer responding to the scene slipped on ice and required medical attention. That officer suffered a head injury.
Over the weekend, Toronto police carried out a raid at Community Cannabis Clinic, a marijuana dispensary at St. Clair Avenue West near Dufferin Street.
Sources tell CBC News the marijuana edibles the officers ingested are believed to have come from this dispensary. It’s unclear if the officers participated in the raid over the weekend.
CBC News has learned the officers under investigation are Const. Vittorio Dominelli and his partner.
Dominelli serves in 13 Division’s neighbourhood resources officer unit, according to Toronto Police Service’s website.
CBC News has not been able to confirm the name of Dominelli’s partner.
No criminal charges have been laid against the officers pending the outcome of the investigation by the force’s professional standards unit.
The professional standards unit is obligated to investigate complaints of misconduct under Ontario’s Police Services Act. This branch is responsible for overseeing police practices, conduct, appearance, ethics and integrity.
With files from CBC’s Dwight Drummond, John Lancaster, Adrian Cheung
WARMINGTON: Keystoned cops hospitalized after eating seized dispensary edibles?
Watch VIDEO (1:31)
by Joe Warmington
TORONTO — Two Toronto Police officers have been suspended in a story that includes accusations of eating seized pot edibles, tree climbing and hospital visits, too.
One officer was allegedly flying so high, he ended up in a tree.
It was actually three police officers who were taken to hospital over the weekend after a pot dispensary raid in 13 Division.
Two officers — Const. Vittorio Dominelli, a 10 year veteran, and Const. Jamie Young, who has been on the force for two years — complained of hallucinations, according to a police source. The third officer — who offered assistance — suffered a head wound while trying to help one of the officers.
This is not a comedy sketch. And all though many coppers were cracking up over it, they also realize it’s no laughing matter.
“All three were medical emergencies,” said a police source.
It started Saturday night with a raid and seizure of a marijuana dispensary retail outlet in the Black Creek Dr.-Eglinton Ave. area. Two officers tasked with guarding evidence were later allegedly experiencing dizziness and impairment from something consumed from that stash.
After “eating” what was allegedly a seized cannabis edible, the two officers are said to have become separated. One phoned an off-duty colleague who mistook the call for it being a kidnapping and put out a call for backup.
Officers from four divisions, all buzzed in there to assist. At first they could not find either colleague. Seems the male officer was not on the ground.
“He was up in a tree,” said a police source. “Up there with the birds.”
He was actually located by an EMS paramedic who helped get him down and began to provide medical treatment.
Meanwhile, a female officer was allegedly wandering around in an altered state at great risk to herself and perhaps others, according to a source.
Toronto Police officers are investigating the incident, including whether this was a joint venture, or if one provided something to the other without that officer’s knowledge.
“Apparently she is saying she didn’t know what it was,” said a police source.
But whatever it did to her, it concerned her colleagues who are experts at dealing with people who are under the influence or stoned.
“A female officer went to help her and slipped and fell and hit her head on some ice on the roadway,” said a source.
While many on and off the job made jokes about “an evidence bag of Doritos” at the scene, and teased it would be best to “at least wait until you’re home,” others told the Toronto Sun this is a very troubling matter.
“It’s so embarrassing,” said one veteran officer. “We are arresting kids and seizing profits and product from businesses and this is how some officers (allegedly) act.”
Toronto Police spokesman Mark Pugash said “all I am able to say is that two officers are being investigated by Professional Standards.”
But Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said he’s been told both officers have been suspended with pay.
“I am getting calls about it and I know there’s interest, but it really is hard to comment and unfair to comment while there is an investigation underway,” he said.
But he did look into the conditions of the three officers who were taken to Sunnybrook Hospital.
“They are all fine,” said McCormack.
While things have kind of mellowed, all three woke up with headaches. Only one — the officer who provided assistance — received sympathy.
— With files by Chris Doucette
Article source Toronto Sun
