Eight TTC transit enforcement officers were dismissed from duty Tuesday after a joint, four-month investigation by the transit authority and Toronto Police Service discovered that five officers falsified provincial offences tickets, the TTC said.
The tickets were never served.
Of the eight officers, five were arrested and are facing numerous charges including attempting to obstruct justice and fabricate evidence.
"It is alleged that five officers submitted false provincial offences tickets to individuals of no fixed address for offenses such as solicitation on TTC property [panhandling], loitering or trespassing," a news release from the TTC said.
It is also alleged that the transit enforcement officers were not at the locations where the falsified tickets were supposed to have been issued. During the investigation, authorities uncovered misconduct by another three transit enforcement officers.
"While there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, the misconduct uncovered resulted today in the TTC terminating, with cause, the employment of those officers," the release said.
The TTC has launched an investigation along with their internal audit group to enhance procedures around the issuing of such provincial offences tickets.
"I am profoundly disappointed in today’s news," TTC CEO Andy Byford said.
"These individuals do not represent what I know to be the professionalism and dedication of the men and women of the Transit Enforcement Unit, nor do they represent the other 12,000 employees of the TTC who work hard for the people of Toronto day in and day out," he said.
The TTC "will cancel all falsified tickets and ensure those named face no future prosecution for failure to pay the fines set out on these tickets."
Peter Paul has been a Toronto and International Headlines Examiner for Examiner.com since 2009. Connect with him on Twitter @PeterPaulX or join his Examiner Facebook fan page.
Comments