Doel case held off until November

It may be the longest running hearing in Hamilton Police history, and now it’s a whole lot longer.

The case of Inspector David Doel resumed today. Doel is facing 14 charges under the Police Services Act. But after three years of proceedings, not one bit of testimony or evidence relating to the case has been entered into the record.

This morning, hearing Superintendent Robert Fitches ruled on a motion by the defence to recuse himself and step down from case, on the basis of “a reasonable apprehension of bias”. In a 15 page ruling, Fitches more or less said that defence lawyer Harry Black’s apprehension of bias was not reasonable at all. In fact Fitches seemed to take offence from the assertion, stating that such a suggestion was “very troubling indeed.”

After the ruling, the hearing was adjourned once more. The next date for it to resume – November 25, 2013. Black says that’s the first open date that is available on his calendar, and so this case will be suspended in limbo once more.

For three years Inspector Doel has been collecting full pay, accumulating sick days, vacation days and benefits; and he’s even gotten a raise in basic salary – and is due for another one – with back pay – once the current contract negotiations are settled. He is also eligible for retirement some time in 2014, and could possibly take advantage of that opportunity, before the Police Act proceedings ever come to a resolution.

So far, taxpayers have shelled out more than half a million dollars to Inspector Doel while he’s been suspended. Efforts to ascertain the total cost of the hearing to taxpayers are also taking an awfully long time.

CHCH News asked today how many other police officers are suspended with pay in the Hamilton, Halton and Niagara area – and were told four in Hamilton, one in Halton, and perhaps as many as seven in Niagara, although that figure has not been confirmed. That’s an even dozen from just three of the 42 police services operating in Ontario.