Nancy Wood

Watchdog yanked from escort probe

It was inappropriate for chairman Douglas Drinkwalter to describe the matter as "a tempest in a teapot," Solicitor-General Steven Offer said yesterday. Drinkwalter also had said the commission "doesn't have any big, grave concerns" about the Metro police force's internal investigation of Constable Gord Junger.

Junger was allowed to resign from the force, without facing charges, after his involvement in the escort service became known.

Offer said he told Drinkwalter yesterday that the comments were inappropriate. Under the Police Act, Drinkwalter is allowed to delegate the responsibility to the commission vice-chairman, in this case, Frank D'Andrea. Offer said the review by D'Andrea will be "full, thorough and exhaustive."

Opposition leader Bob Rae and interim Progressive Conservative leader Andy Brandt said the government should examine whether the Metro Police Commission acted properly in accepting Metro Police Chief William McCormack's handling of the case.

A 26-year-old former call girl claims two other Metro officers were involved in the escort service, a claim McCormack says cannot be substantiated.

The majority of the Metro commission's members are appointed by the provincial government.

"I think he (Offers) has got to monitor the thing very closely. I don't want to be critical at this time but I think he's got to make sure that there are no suggestions or any thoughts whatever that there were improprieties," said Brandt.

New Democrat MPP Peter Kormos (Welland-Thorold) said the public doesn't regard the Junger case as a tempest in a teapot. "I think the public's concern is that an active police officer or indeed the possibility of active police officers (could be) involved in this type of enterprise," Kormos said.

The public is concerned that that could even possibly take place and that's what cries out for a more thorough investigation than has been performed so far.