Officers refuse to participate in probe

Police watchdog has requested notes, interviews from two cops under scrutiny

- RAJU MUDHAR

An infant and his grandparents were killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby in April.

Two subject officers in a probe of the wrong-way crash on Highway 401 near Whitby in April have refused to submit to interviews or provide their notes to the Special Investigations Unit, Ontario’s police watchdog says.

In an update on its investigation into the crash that left four people dead, including a three-month-old boy, the SIU said Wednesday it is looking at over 100 videos of the incident collected from various sources and has interviewed more than 50 people.

This is the latest case to put the spotlight on SIU investigations, in which police officers under scrutiny have the right to refuse interviews or to provide their investigative notes. And while the officers may change their minds about participating, they cannot be compelled to testify.

“The public has a right to know what happened here. How did this happen? Was there a breakdown in communications? Why wasn’t the chase called off either by the officer who initiated, or the commanding officer, who can call it off at any time?” said Howard Morton, who was director of the SIU from 1992 to 1995 and is now a defence lawyer.