OPP anti-rackets squad investigating local municipal officials

The OPP’s anti-rackets squad is in the middle of an investigation involving breach of trust allegations against Chatham-Kent municipal officials.

According to the OPP, the investigation involves Mayor Randy Hope, and other senior municipal officials in relation to the St. Clair College Capitol Theatre project and other property in the municipality.

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Det. Staff Sgt. Tom Whittaker is the case manager for the investigation. He said the OPP received a request to investigate from Chatham-Kent’s top cop, Dennis Poole, last year.

Poole, chief of the Chatham-Kent Police Service, said he made the call to the OPP to maintain impartiality in the investigation.

“This was done last year, back in the time when Mr. (Ian) McLarty was making all his complaints,” Poole said. “A complaint was made to the police department about that issue involving Mayor Hope. I then handed it off to the OPP to maintain a hands-off distance.”

Last July, McLarty, a former mayoral candidate, brought forth allegations of incompetence, dereliction of duty and possible criminal activity against senior municipal staff and the mayor in regards to the Capitol Theatre Annex transfer and municipal grants to the theatre. He took his matter to court over a conflict of interest allegation against Hope after the mayor had voted in favour of providing a $1.3-million grant to St. Clair College to develop a downtown educational facility at the former Capitol Theatre Annex building.

McLarty claimed the conflict occurred as Hope’s daughter stood to benefit, as she worked for one of two companies that owned the Annex.

Superior Court Justice Henry Vogelsang heard the allegations in court in October, and dismissed the case shortly thereafter.

Several civil suits in relation to the matter remain unresolved.

Hope declined to comment on the matter, saying he wouldn’t until the investigation is over.

He did say the OPP hasn’t spoken with him yet, however.

Poole said by calling in the OPP to investigate the criminal allegations levelled last year, the local police service is removed from any potential claims of conducting a biased investigation and there are no conflicts of interest.

“Could we have done it (the investigation)? Yes. But the difficulty is if we lay charges, there could be allegations we’re against the mayor. If we don’t then people might say we are in bed with the mayor,” he said.

Poole said calling in an outside police service to investigate in municipal matters is typically what occurs in such situations.

Whittaker concurred.

“It does occur occasionally where a local police service may feel it is better that an outside agency look into such complaints,” he said.

In terms of the OPP investigation, Whittaker wouldn’t say much more than the investigation is ongoing.

“We can’t comment on specifics or where we are at. In terms of conclusion, when we’re all finished is when we will assess the evidence,” he said. “I’m case managing it from the Orillia office, but we are using officers out of our London office.”