Veteran officer must appear before disciplinary hearing at police headquarters
A veteran Peel Regional Police officer already convicted of drinking and driving and later trying to get behind the wheel even though a court order prohibited him from doing so, is facing new Police Services Act (PSA) charges.
Const. Alex Metallinos, whose been with the force 15 years, was supposed to make his first appearance at a PSA disciplinary hearing at police headquarters in Mississauga on Tuesday, Aug. 7 to answer to the charges.
However, the hearing was postponed to Sept. 5 due to an “unforeseen medical issue,” according to Sgt. Matt Bertram.
While Bertram didn’t get into specifics about the new allegations, he said the charges were filed July 16 and “arose out of an altercation with a neighbour, and subsequent interactions with the OPP.”
Records show Metallinos is facing five counts of discreditable conduct under the PSA and one count of deceit.
According to the Act, a deceit charge is laid if there are allegation an officer “knowingly makes or signs a false statement in a record, wilfully or negligently makes a false, misleading or inaccurate statement pertaining to official duties, or without lawful excuse, destroys or mutilates a record or alters or erases an entry in a record.”
None of the new allegations have been proven in court.
Back in October 2016, Metallinos pleaded guilty to two Police Services Act charges of discreditable conduct and was demoted for nine months.
The hearing heard that Metallinos was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving back on Sept. 12, 2015 after an encounter with the OPP in New Tecumseth in which he drove his pickup truck towards the officers, who were on scene investigating a disturbance.
One of the officers stopped the truck and placed Metallinos under arrest.
“There was a strong smell of alcohol in the pick-up truck. He was ultimately given his rights to counsel and cautioned, given a breath demand, and taken back to the detachment for samples of his breath that registered 127 and 140 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood,” according to an agreed statement of facts read into the court record.
Metallinos was found guilty later in 2015 in criminal court by Justice Donald J. Halikowski of excess blood alcohol under the Criminal Code of Canada, fined $1,000 and banned from driving for 12 months.
But, the disciplinary hearing heard, on Jan. 27 of 2016, Metallinos was in the process of placing his child into his car with the engine running when a detective from Internal Affairs stopped him from driving.
“Constable Metallinos indicated he was going through a difficult time and takes full responsibility for his actions,” Supt. Colleen Fawcett said in her ruling. “He has learned from his experience and poor decisions and has been trying to mentor and teach young officers to not make the same mistakes. He wants to move forward with his police career.”
Metallinos has received two commendations since joining the force in 2003 — one for demonstrating “quick and decisive action” that led to a three-year-old child in a parental abduction case being found, and the other for “good street work” in preventing a robbery at a gas station.
Still, Fawcett said she had to impose punishment in the drinking and driving case due to the “very concerning” actions of the officer. “There is no doubt that engaging in an illegal and dangerous act such as impaired driving is very serious misconduct,” she said. “Constable Metallinos was reckless and without regard for public safety.”
Metallinos is currently assigned to 21 Division.
Source: Brampton Guardian