Senior cop facing misconduct charges

Unit commander accused of interfering with investigation of nephew's crash

- WENDY GILLIS

According to a police document outlining misconduct allegations, Insp. Joyce Schertzer, shown above in 2013, circumvented police protocol "to the benefit" of her family when she rushed to the scene of a collision caused by her nephew and "inserted" herself in the investigation.

A high-ranking Toronto police unit commander "blurred her role" between police officer and family member when she rushed to the scene of a collision caused by her nephew and "inserted" herself in the investigation, preventing colleagues from determining if alcohol was a factor, a police prosecutor told a misconduct tribunal Monday.

Insp. Joyce Schertzer drove to a May 1, 2022 crash involving her nephew, dispatched a cop from her station to the collision - outside her division's jurisdiction- and circumvented police protocol "to the benefit of your family," according to a police document outlining misconduct allegations under Ontario's police legislation.

As a result, the nephew, identified only as "Calvin" at the tribunal Monday, was cleared to leave within 10 minutes of Schertzer's arrival, the tribunal heard. By the time he was summoned back to the scene by the Traffic Services unit, more than three hours had passed and "there's no ability to make a demand for a breathalyzer," said police prosecutor Scott Hutchison in his opening statements.

"The conduct here was problematic at the least because it blurred her role between the inspector the unit commander for the officer doing the investigation - and her role as advocate for her nephew," Hutchison said, adding her behaviour "impaired" the probe and was a conflict of interest.

Schertzer has pleaded not guilty to three counts of professional misconduct.

Throughout the day Monday, she sat quietly in her senior officer's uniform, at times covering her face with her hands.

If found guilty, she faces a penalty ranging from a reprimand to demotion or dismissal.