Halton police officer under investigation for tampering with drug evidence

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Halton police say one of their own officers is under investigation for tampering with drug evidence. This after an audit found that 36 drug evidence exhibits may have had packaging opened or contents missing.

CHCH obtained a copy of the letter sent to defense attorney’s from an audit co-ordinator who inspected the contents of the vault back in November. She writes “the physical examination of exhibits identified 36 drug exhibits where the integrity of exhibit packaging or the drugs contained within the packaging indicated that the chain of custody and continuity of the exhibit may have been compromised.”

That means sealed evidence has been broken into and drugs could be missing.

“We don’t know if exhibits have been co-mingled, from one exhibit to another. We don’t know if exhibits have simply been taken out from the vault. We just don’t know what’s happened.”

Defense attorney Brendan Neil says Halton Regional Police are not sharing enough information about what happened. But the potential tampering already means that charges against one of his clients had to be withdrawn.

Halton regional police Chief Stephen Tanner says that the officer does know that he or she is under investigation, but they have not been suspended from work. Although, the Chief says that may change within the next couple of weeks.

Tanner would not say which types of drugs may have been compromised but calls “it is a serious situation when any doubt is cast on any of our exhibits. Down the road, serious disciplinary ramifications will most likey follow.”

Tanner says another police force is investigating the tampering, he would not name which force is doing it because they asked him not to. But Tanner does expect the investigation to be completed within two weeks.