Hamilton officer found guilty in journalist arrests resigns and avoids penalty

A Hamilton police officer found guilty of four charges under the Police Services Act in the arrest of two photojournalists in 2017 has resigned.

Const. Jeff Todoruck arrested the two photojournalists while they were at the scene of a fatal pedestrian crash in Waterdown in May 2017.

READ: Hamilton cop faces discreditable conduct charge over journalists arrests

In a hearing Friday morning, the prosecutor revealed Todoruck had resigned from the force effective Feb. 19.

Todoruck was found guilty of one count of unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority, two counts of neglect of duty and one count of discreditable conduct in June of 2020 but was never given any penalty.

He was not present at Friday’s hearing and has missed other previous hearings.

Former Const. Jeff Todoruck with the @HamiltonPolice has resigned. He was found guilty in connection to the unlawful arrests of two photojournalists in May 2017… but has never been handed any penalties for those offences. Now, because he resigned, the matter is stayed.

— Kelly Botelho (@botelhok) March 5, 2021

Because he has resigned from the force, the matter is stayed.