Tainted Hamilton cop turns in his badge

(Updated)

Almost two years after being suspended with pay by Hamilton police, Sergeant Derek Mellor has resigned amid several sex-related charges.

Monday, Mellor was supposed to appear before the Police Services Act Board for a sentencing hearing.

In February, he pleaded guilty to nine charges, admitting to inappropriate sexual relationships with women connected to human trafficking cases. Earlier this month, he appeared before the board again to face two more discreditable conduct charges for an alleged sexual relationship with a witness in a domestic violence case he was investigating in 2000. He had not yet entered pleas for the last two charges. But when Mellor’s resignation takes effect on November 3rd — all disciplinary matters will be stayed.

However he is still being investigated by the province’s Special Investigations Unit — they told us that case is still open. Today, CHCH also spoke with Mellor’s lawyer Leo Kinahan over the phone. He says Mellor decided to resign because he wants to put this behind him and get on with his life. He says there is no specific reason for the chosen date of November 3rd other than that it was the day scheduled for his disciplinary hearing to resume. Mellor was suspended with pay. The ‘sunshine list‘ indicates he received a salary of more than 101-thousand dollars in 2013.

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police wouldn’t comment specifically on Mellor’s case today as they’re in discussions with the Ontario government on ways to address the issue of suspension with pay. They’ve been advocating for discretionary suspension without pay since 2006, but so far there has been no change to the Police Services Act.