Latest news with #ThunderBayPoliceService
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Police seize drugs, lay 23 charges in northern Ont. trafficking probe
On May 27, 2025, the Thunder Bay Police Service seized quantities of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, cash, and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking from a vehicle and two residences. (Supplied/Thunder Bay Police Service) Police have arrested eight people and seized suspected cocaine and fentanyl following a drug trafficking investigation in Thunder Bay. The Thunder Bay Police Service, assisted by the Ontario Provincial Police, executed search warrants at two residences and a vehicle on May 27. Thunder Bay Police Service vehicle A Thunder Bay Police Service vehicle is seen in this undated photo. (File Photo/Thunder Bay Police Service) A vehicle linked to the investigation was stopped on Highway 11/17 east of Thunder Bay, resulting in the arrest of two occupants. Later that day, the Thunder Bay police searched homes on Picton Avenue and Donald Street, leading to six more arrests. Authorities said, in a news release, 'police seized quantities of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, cash, and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking.' Investigators said a total of 23 charges were laid in the investigation. Those charged include: a 19-year-old man from Scarborough , , a 19-year-old Pickering man, man, a 20-year-old woman from Toronto , , a 22-year-old southern Ontario man, man, a 23-year-old man from Scarborough (who is also facing two additional charges for failing to comply with a release order,) (who is also facing two additional charges for failing to comply with a release order,) a 26-year-old Oshawa man, man, a 28-year-old woman from Thunder Bay , and , and a 50-year-old Thunder Bay man. Each faces one or more counts of drug trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime. All of the accused appeared in court on Wednesday and were remanded into custody until future court dates. Provincial police also recently announced five arrests and a nearly $1 million seizure of cash and drugs in the same area.
CTV News
25-05-2025
- CTV News
Six charged in northern Ont. drug trafficking bust
A three-week drug investigation in northwestern Ontario from April 21 to May 9, 2025, resulted in the seizure of of quantities of suspected cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, Percocet pills, and illicit cannabis following the execution of two search warrants in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police) Six individuals are facing multiple drug-related charges after a three-week investigation led to the seizure of suspected cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, Percocet pills, and illicit cannabis, police said in a news release last week. Thunder Bay - OPP - Seizure A three-week drug investigation in northwestern Ontario from April 21 to May 9, 2025, resulted in the seizure of of quantities of suspected cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, Percocet pills, and illicit cannabis following the execution of two search warrants in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police) Ontario Provincial Police in Thunder Bay, with the support of specialized units and the Thunder Bay Police Service, conducted the investigation between April 21 and May 9, targeting drug trafficking in northwestern Ontario. During the probe, officers executed two search warrants at residences in Thunder Bay, leading to the seizure of the suspected drugs. Thunder Bay - OPP - Seizure A three-week drug investigation in northwestern Ontario from April 21 to May 9, 2025, resulted in the seizure of of quantities of suspected cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, Percocet pills, and illicit cannabis following the execution of two search warrants in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police) Four Thunder Bay men, ages 42, 43, 48 and 57 along with a 27-year-old woman from Thunder Bay and a 49-year-old woman from Langley, B.C., each face one or more drug trafficking charges. The 42-year-old man is additionally charged with possession of proceeds of crime. The 42-year-old and 48-year-old men were remanded into custody, while the others were released following court appearances. The B.C. woman is scheduled to appear in court on June 4, the 27-year-old woman returns June 5, and the 57-year-old and 43-year-old men are due back on July 9 and July 30, respectively. 'Illegal drugs put lives at risk and have no place in our communities,' police said in a related social media post. Thunder Bay - OPP - Seizure A three-week drug investigation in northwestern Ontario from April 21 to May 9, 2025, resulted in the seizure of of quantities of suspected cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, Percocet pills, and illicit cannabis following the execution of two search warrants in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police) Anyone with information on the investigation or illicit drug activity is urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTV News
03-05-2025
- CTV News
Thunder Bay police officer charged following collision last year
A Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) officer has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle in connection with a 2024 collision that followed a police pursuit. The Ontario Provincial Police announced the charge against a 37-year-old constable in a news release this week. The incident occurred on Feb. 29, 2024, when a TBPS vehicle and a civilian car collided at the southern end of Neebing Avenue. Police watchdog investigation closed, outside of mandate According to a previous news release from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the officer had been pursuing the 31-year-old male driver for roughly four-and-a-half minutes over seven kilometres before the crash. The man was subsequently arrested and taken to hospital. The SIU, Ontario's civilian police oversight agency, initially investigated but discontinued its probe in June 2024 after reviewing medical records. Director Joseph Martino stated no fractures or serious injuries were confirmed, meaning the incident fell outside the SIU's mandate. The OPP took over the case at TBPS's request in July 2024. The officer is scheduled to appear in court on May 28 to answer the dangerous operation charge. CTV News contacted TBPS about the officer's employment status but has not received a response. Previous disciplinary issues The constable involved has previously faced disciplinary action. In 2023, they pleaded guilty at a Police Services Act hearing to three counts of misconduct – discreditable conduct, insubordination, and unlawful exercise of authority – stemming from a January 2022 encounter with an Indigenous man. Body-worn camera footage showed the officer using profanity, grabbing the man's arm, and pushing him against a bus shelter. As a result, the officer was temporarily demoted and ordered to complete Indigenous-focused training.
CBC
07-03-2025
- CBC
Intimate image sharing key focus of International Women's Day event in Thunder Bay, Ont.
WARNING: This story contains references to physical and sexual violence. Sharing intimate images without consent was the focus of Friday's International Women's Day flag-raising event in Thunder Bay, Ont. The keynote address, delivered by social worker Karen Slomke, was in response to an ongoing cyber crime investigation in the northwestern Ontario city. More than a dozen people were charged last month with 172 offences related to the distribution of intimate images without consent, using an online chat platform. On Thursday, another person was charged in connection with the case. The Thunder Bay Police Service says at least 117 alleged victims have been identified. "The images themselves are not the issue, unless they were attained through extortion," Slomke said during the event at City Hall. "It is the violation of ownership, privacy and consent that has caused and continues to cause harm." As women gathered to raise the white and purple flag, they also spoke of ways to raise awareness of the impact the cyber crime incident has had on the community. "The victims themselves have been harmed. The family and friends of those victims have been harmed. People wondering if they're also going to be victimized [by] this are harmed," Slomke said. "This type of event traumatizes every level of our community and just separates people more, because we know trauma impacts the ability of people to relate safely with one another." 'Something that's being normalized' Among the charges laid last month were luring, extortion, and child pornography. Police say some of the victims could be as young as 12 years old. When women experience this type of sexual violence, this erodes their sense of community connection, Slomke said. "As you're perceived as an object, it's much easier to harm you than it is to harm a person that you know intimately and care for," she said. Gwen O'Reilly is the executive director of the Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre, which hosted Friday's event. O'Reilly said she invited Slomke to speak because she wanted to help prevent these incidents from occurring. "The widespread distribution of images of women is something that's being normalized, and there doesn't seem to be any particular organized effort to stop it," O'Reilly said. A starting point, she said, is for everyone to delete intimate images on their phones that don't belong to them. Beyond that, she wants to see more support for women and girls as they navigate these situations in online spaces, and more accountability for the men at fault. "They need to understand their own vulnerability in order to have actual equitable relationships with women, and looking at intimate images of other people is not that." Protecting Indigenous women and girls While cyber crime was the main theme of Friday's event, advocate Ardelle Sagutcheway also raised her voice about the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, who are six times more likely to be murdered than other groups of people in Canada. More than four in 10 Indigenous women experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, while over 55 per cent of Indigenous women experienced violence from non-intimate partners, Statistics Canada reported in 2022. Sagutcheway spoke about a case that's been making headlines south of the border, where the dismembered remains of a young girl from the San Carlos Apache Tribe were found in Arizona last month. The Gila County Sheriff's Office says the case is being investigated as a homicide. The family has identified the victim as 14-year-old Emily Pike, as reported by the New York Post. After moving from Eabametoong First Nation to Thunder Bay to complete high school, Sagutcheway said she recognizes the heightened safety risks faced by Indigenous girls, particularly when they are displaced from home. "I came up for high school when I was 14 and I had no support for that," she said. "I speak up now for young me, but also for future Indigenous youth." Now, as a mother herself raising daughters, Sagutcheway said she wants to see more support for Indigenous and non-Indigenous girls in the city. As for Slomke, she said everyone in the community plays a role in improving women's safety. "There's such an opportunity here for change, but it takes the investment of all of our community members to do that," she said. The Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre has compiled a list of resources related to technology-facilitated violence, in response to the ongoing cyber crime investigation. Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay Police Service asks anyone with information about the case to contact Det. Const. Joel Manherz at 807-684-1200 ext. 4115. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online. Anyone who requires immediate emotional assistance related to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls can contact a national, toll-free 24/7 crisis line at 1-844-413-6649.
CBC
24-02-2025
- CBC
Trial set to start today for Thunder Bay, Ont., police officer charged in 2014 assault
The first of three scheduled trials for a suspended Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) officer was set to begin this morning at the city's courthouse. The assault trial for Staff Sgt. Michael Dimini stems from an incident that allegedly occurred in the northwestern Ontario city in August 2014, according to court documents obtained by CBC. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced charges against Dimini in December 2023 following a nearly two-year investigation. He was originally charged with two counts of assault, breach of trust and obstruction of justice. Dimini has three separate trials set for 2025, also including: A trial confirmation hearing scheduled for April in relation to an alleged assault in October 2016. A May trial confirmation hearing scheduled in regards to the breach of trust trial, in connection with his duties as a police officer in November 2020. Each of the matters will be heard by different out-of-town judges. None of the charges against Dimini have been proven in court. He has pleaded not guilty. Officer suspended with pay Dimini was released from custody after being charged. He was suspended from TBPS with pay as required by the Police Services Act. His release was conditional upon not possessing any weapons or firearms and refraining from contacting 85 different people. Alleged misconduct by Dimini was also laid out in human rights complaints filed to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. WATCH | Some of the controversies facing Thunder Bay police and its leadership: Thunder Bay police chief vows to rebuild public trust 10 months ago Duration 2:01 The Thunder Bay Police Service vowed to rebuild public trust after charges were filed against a former chief, but some community members and Indigenous leaders say they're skeptical that the force can reform. He's among multiple people linked to Thunder Bay's embattled police force who are currently facing charges. A former TBPS police chief and former TBPS lawyer both face criminal charges stemming from the same 2021 OPP investigation that led to the breach of trust charges against Dimini. Former police chief Sylvie Hauth and ex-Thunder Bay police lawyer Holly Walbourne were charged with multiple obstruction and breach of trust offences for allegedly "practising deception" in interactions with the Thunder Bay police board. Constables Taylor Auger, Ryan Dougherty, Andrew Frankow and Michael Moore were charged with assault causing bodily harm relating to separate alleged incidents in 2023 and 2024. Auger's charges are scheduled to be spoken to on Thursday, while Dougherty's, Frankow's and Moore's charges are scheduled to be addressed in March and April. Const. Peter Ritchie, who was charged with property theft and breach of trust in October 2024, is scheduled to have his case heard before the court in March. In addition to the litany of criminal charges, TBPS has faced scrutiny for its handling of death and missing-persons cases. Ontario's inspector general of policing announced in October 2024 he would evaluate how the TBPS conducts death and missing-person investigations, and its compliance wit the province's policing legislation.
