Longtime officer demoted, can’t drive for one year
A Peel Regional Police officer has been convicted of drunk driving after having more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system during a collision in which his actions were labelled “reckless” and “dangerous.”
In addition to the criminal conviction, Const. Calvin D’Cruz, who’s been with the service 18 years and works out of the Airport Division, has been demoted for one year. He pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act and on Nov. 28, was demoted from first-class to second-class constable for 12 months.
The police tribunal heard the crash occurred just after 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 of this year at the intersection of Steeles Avenue West and Lancashire Lane.
D’Cruz was driving a grey Cadillac when he rear-ended a SUV that was carrying a man, his wife and two children.
In an agreed statement of facts, the tribunal heard that D’Cruz got out of his car and began denying that he hit the victim’s car and was “yelling.”
When the driver whose SUV was hit told D’Cruz he was calling the police, D’Cruz replied “What are you talking about, I am the police,” the hearing was told.
When Peel officers arrived on scene, they detected signs of drinking and driving, the hearing was told.
“In speaking to (‘D’Cruz), Const. #1 detected the odour of an alcoholic beverage on (his) breath. He also noted that (D’Cruz’s) face was flush, his eyes were glazed, his speech was slurred, and he was swaying.”
D’Cruz told one of the officers on scene, “you know me,” and was pleading “for a break” and asking to speak to the sergeant at the scene, the hearing was told.
D’Cruz was transported to 22 Division, where he provided two breath samples that were both more than double the legal limit, said hearing documents.
D’Cruz pleaded guilty to impaired driving in Brampton court in front of Justice Gregory Paul Renwick on March 6 and received a $1,600 fine and cannot drive for one year.
Supt. Colleen Fawcett called the officer’s actions “very concerning” in deciding to demote D’Cruz at the disciplinary hearing.
“There is no doubt that engaging in such an illegal and dangerous act is very serious misconduct. Const. D’Cruz was reckless and without regard for public safety,” she wrote in her ruling. “Const. D’Cruz’s conduct was not only unlawful, but exhibited extremely poor judgment and a blatant disregard for the law and his duties as an officer … when it is a police officer who commits such offences, it brings the profession of policing into disrepute.”
This isn’t the first time D’Cruz has been in trouble with the law. He pleaded guilty to mischief and assault in court and received a demotion back in 2014 in relation to an “alcohol-related domestic incident.”
D’Cruz told Fawcett at the hearing he feels “embarrassed” by his actions and apologized.
Source: Mississauga.com