TORONTO - A video prepared by some Durham Regional Police officers joking about making a break from cell duty has resulted in an investigation.
“DRPS Chief Const. Mike Ewles has launched an internal investigation after a video depicting three disgruntled employees was posted on YouTube,” said a Durham police release.
“On Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, a 63-second video appeared on YouTube depicting three employees of the DRPS. It was produced to appear like a Hollywood movie trailer and depicts them trying to get reassigned out of the Court Services Branch.”
Prior to the release, several officers had expressed concerns about the video and spokesman Dave Selby said the chief was alerted.
“The chief is not very happy about this video,” Selby said.
The chief also issued a statement.
“As the chief, I am disappointed by this on a number of levels. Our Courts Branch plays an incredibly important role in our business and I want to assure members of the community that we take this important function very seriously,” Ewles said in the statement.
“The safe and secure handling of people in our holding cells is a top priority for this police service. We invest heavily in training and continually review safety procedures to ensure this vitally important area is managed properly.
“We will be interviewing the employees involved as part of our internal investigation, so I can’t comment further. However, one employee depicted is a supervisor and that’s even more troubling for me,” Ewles said.
The chief called the video “disrespectful to the hardworking men and women of this branch and embarrassing for everyone here at the DRPS.”
The video depicts three officers in uniform doing a movie-style parody of a planned breakout of their deployment in the service’s cells.
Called Central Cells, with some dramatic music playing in the background, it mocks their jobs working with those in the lockup.
“Three officers on a quest for freedom will discover there is no escape from cell block,” the video says.
“Forced to service prisoners, how far will they go for freedom?”
The video shows the officers -- listed as Sgt. Mike Glennie, Const. Paul Gregoriou and Special Constable Harold Tasson -- horsing around in the cells with a Taser, pretending to give toilet people to inmates, making a snow angel on top of a squad car, warming up hands on a barbecue, and mopping up blood off a cell floor.
The officers have not yet returned calls from the Toronto Sun.
But the video was the talk of headquarters Wednesday moments after it was posted.
“It’s clearly some officers goofing off and some think it’s funny,” said one officer. “But most of the officers out here don’t think there is anything funny about making light of people in the cells or fooling around with a Taser.”
The officer said it’s an example of “out-of-control behaviour” and shows a “lack of discipline and a lack of respect.”
https://www.torontosun.com/2014/01/16/durham-cops-cell-block-video-draws-fire
“DRPS Chief Const. Mike Ewles has launched an internal investigation after a video depicting three disgruntled employees was posted on YouTube,” said a Durham police release.
“On Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, a 63-second video appeared on YouTube depicting three employees of the DRPS. It was produced to appear like a Hollywood movie trailer and depicts them trying to get reassigned out of the Court Services Branch.”
Prior to the release, several officers had expressed concerns about the video and spokesman Dave Selby said the chief was alerted.
“The chief is not very happy about this video,” Selby said.
The chief also issued a statement.
“As the chief, I am disappointed by this on a number of levels. Our Courts Branch plays an incredibly important role in our business and I want to assure members of the community that we take this important function very seriously,” Ewles said in the statement.
“The safe and secure handling of people in our holding cells is a top priority for this police service. We invest heavily in training and continually review safety procedures to ensure this vitally important area is managed properly.
“We will be interviewing the employees involved as part of our internal investigation, so I can’t comment further. However, one employee depicted is a supervisor and that’s even more troubling for me,” Ewles said.
The chief called the video “disrespectful to the hardworking men and women of this branch and embarrassing for everyone here at the DRPS.”
The video depicts three officers in uniform doing a movie-style parody of a planned breakout of their deployment in the service’s cells.
Called Central Cells, with some dramatic music playing in the background, it mocks their jobs working with those in the lockup.
“Three officers on a quest for freedom will discover there is no escape from cell block,” the video says.
“Forced to service prisoners, how far will they go for freedom?”
The video shows the officers -- listed as Sgt. Mike Glennie, Const. Paul Gregoriou and Special Constable Harold Tasson -- horsing around in the cells with a Taser, pretending to give toilet people to inmates, making a snow angel on top of a squad car, warming up hands on a barbecue, and mopping up blood off a cell floor.
The officers have not yet returned calls from the Toronto Sun.
But the video was the talk of headquarters Wednesday moments after it was posted.
“It’s clearly some officers goofing off and some think it’s funny,” said one officer. “But most of the officers out here don’t think there is anything funny about making light of people in the cells or fooling around with a Taser.”
The officer said it’s an example of “out-of-control behaviour” and shows a “lack of discipline and a lack of respect.”
https://www.torontosun.com/2014/01/16/durham-cops-cell-block-video-draws-fire
