Toronto police officer pleads guilty to dishonorable conduct at police hearing for eating edible pot while on shift

A Toronto police officer pleaded guilty on Monday to a dishonorable conduct charge during a police action hearing for eating a cannabis-infused chocolate bar his partner stole during an illegal raid on a pot store. in 2018.

const. Jamie Young and his partner, Const. Vittorio Dominelli, participated in a raid on an eastern dispensary on January 27, 2018, according to an agreed statement of facts read by Alex Ciobotaru, the prosecutor during Monday’s hearing. It was there that Dominelli stole three edible chocolate bars and then ate a bar with Young during his shift, according to the statement of facts.

Young had originally faced criminal charges related to obstruction of justice and breach of trust. The charges have since been dropped by the Crown.

Young pleaded guilty in court and read a letter of apology saying she had “foolishly” chosen to eat the chocolate without knowing it had been stolen.

“It was a huge mistake. In doing so, I caused great embarrassment and damage to the reputation of the service and my fellow officers, and I am deeply sorry for that,” she said.

“I have had the time and opportunity to learn from this mistake and look forward to the opportunity to serve the public again and be a productive member of the service.”

Defense attorney for Ciobotaru and Young, Gary Clewley, submitted a joint decision proposing that Young receive an 18-month demotion to Constable Fourth Class, followed by a 12-month demotion to Constable third class.

Once reinstated, Young would be required to attend the Toronto Police Service college for any retraining the service deemed appropriate.

The court has not yet officially ruled on this joint proposal.

Young’s partner stole the chocolate, court hears

Young and Dominelli executed a search warrant at the Community Cannabis Clinic, a marijuana dispensary in the city’s west end, in the early evening of January 27, 2018.

Dominelli stole three chocolate bar edibles, and the pair then went to a restaurant where they ate one of the bars, according to the agreed statement of facts.

Young felt compelled by Dominelli to eat the chocolate because he was her superior officer, according to the statement of facts read by Ciobotaru.

Young later called 911 when Dominelli began to feel sick from the chocolate, and he was taken to the hospital in the early hours of January 28. Ciobotaru said.

Dominelli previously pleaded guilty to criminal charges of attempting to obstruct justice and resigned from the force in 2018.

The Crown dropped the criminal charges against Young, finding that Dominelli “is solely responsible for the theft of the chocolate bars”, according to Ciobotaru.

“Officer Young was unaware of the theft of the chocolate bars and she had no part in the decision to take them,” she said.

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