Pubdate: Mon, 29 May 2017
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Authors: Jesse McLean, Rachel Mendleson, and Jackie Hong
Page: AS1

HALTON SERGEANT CHARGED AFTER PROBE INTO EVIDENCE TAMPERING

Cop led unit that encouraged residents to drop off prescription
drugs

The former head of Halton Region's police drug squad, who once boasted
of major busts and encouraged residents to drop off their unused
prescription painkillers so police could properly dispose of them, has
been arrested and accused of using his position to steal drug exhibits
stored in an evidence vault.

Brad Murray, a staff sergeant with 16 years on the Halton force, was
charged Sunday with obstruction of justice and two counts each of
theft under $5,000 and breach of trust following a seven-month
internal probe and external investigation by Toronto police.

The probe revealed that more than 30 exhibits from a series of court
cases had been tampered with. In all instances, the affected exhibits
were prescription painkillers such as OxyContin.

"In all likelihood, all of these cases will have to be stayed or
withdrawn, which is a shame," Halton police Chief Stephen Tanner said
in an interview Sunday. "But that's the cost of what this person did."

Murray has been suspended with pay. The allegations against him have
not been proven in court.

The veteran officer was already facing internal discipline for an
incident in which he allegedly obtained prescription painkillers from
an officer under his command, Tanner said. Murray has not responded to
numerous requests for comment.

A Star investigation previously revealed that an internal Halton
police audit in November found at least 36 exhibits whose packaging
had been compromised, throwing prosecutions into jeopardy. A summary
of the findings indicated the contents of the exhibits may have been
compromised as well.

Tanner asked Toronto police to conduct an independent criminal probe
into the tampered exhibits.

"We recognize the impact such news brings to you, the people we serve,
and to the reputation of our service," Tanner said in a release on
Sunday. "It violates public trust in the work we do and is an affront
to the Canadian justice system as a whole. As such we are committed to
dealing with this issue transparently and thoroughly."

Murray was a member and supervisor of Halton's drug and morality unit
from January 2013 to May 2016, "during which time the criminal
offences are alleged to have occurred," the release stated.

As staff sergeant, Murray would have had a swipe card that allowed him
access to the drug vault, Tanner told the Star. While it was preferred
that two officers go into the vault together, this might not always
have been the case, he said. According to sources with knowledge of
the investigation who spoke to the Star, Murray was transferred in
mid-2016 to a supervisory role in Milton, where he oversaw a platoon
of officers. Tanner said Murray had previously requested the transfer.

He remained in that role until fall 2016, when he went on leave,
sources said.

While commanding that platoon, Murray allegedly received prescription
painkillers from a junior officer, Tanner said. Halton police asked
nearby Waterloo police to investigate the incident to determine
whether there were grounds for a drug trafficking charge. Tanner said
Waterloo detectives and a Crown prosecutor determined it did not
warrant charges and it became an internal police discipline matter.

Murray will also face internal charges related to the alleged stealing
of drugs from the evidence vault, and Tanner said "dismissal is
definitely one possible outcome."

Last year, Murray earned $140,000, according to Ontario salary
disclosures.

Murray's arrest also raises questions about a program he ran
encouraging the public to drop off unwanted medications - including
prescription painkillers - at local police stations and pharmacies.

In 2013, as a detective on the newly formed integrated drug, gun and
gang unit, he was the force's public face announcing the squad's first
arrests, where officers seized three pounds of marijuana and some cocaine.

"It won't affect the supply and demand. What it will do is put the
word out that we're here," he said.

Murray later became the head of the drug and gang unit. He warned the
public of the black market's thirst for opiate-based prescription
painkillers, and championed a program encouraging the public to
dispose of their unwanted and potentially harmful medications at local
pharmacies or police stations.

Each month, the program collected roughly 80 pounds of medicine -
everything from narcotics to blood pressure pills to herbal remedies -
preventing the drugs from being flushed down the toilet or ending up
on the street.

"Most harmful drugs are found at home. Essentially, the (inadvertent
drug) trafficker is living at home," Murray told the Burlington Post
in 2015.

Pharmacist Samir Patel worked with Murray in the program, collecting
customers' unwanted drugs at his pharmacies.

"He would call me or text me, say, 'Hey, how much do you have? Do you
have a lot of stuff there?' I'd say, 'Yup, we have this much. If you
want to come by it's a good amount,'" Patel said in an interview.

Patel said he would occasionally call Murray if someone had dropped
off a large supply of prescription painkillers or "something I was
worried about."

When the drugs were ready for pickup, Patel's pharmacy staff would
seal them with a tamper-proof lid.

"As far as I was concerned, there was nothing unbecoming," Patel said.
"At the end of the day, the whole point was let's get this off the
street as much as possible."

The program with Halton police ended once Murray moved from the drug
squad, said Patel, though the pharmacist continues to dispose of
unwanted medications.

Tanner said there is no current evidence suggesting any of the
pharmaceutical drugs collected by Murray or Halton police through the
program have been misused or stolen.

"In hindsight, I have concern that it is certainly possible," he told
the Star.

In a press release, Halton police said it has implemented additional
measures to preserve the integrity of all seized drug exhibits.

Murray is scheduled to appear in a Milton court June 27.
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MAP posted-by: Matt