A public complaint against Sarnia’s suspended police chief is now the subject of a criminal investigation. It follows a legal battle that erupted between chief Derek Davis and Nathan Colquhoun, the owner of the Sarnia Journal, a local independent newspaper. According to the letter from the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency to Colquhoun, and shared to the media by Colquhoun, a complaint against Davis filed this past April is now suspended. That’s because, according to the letter, the director of the agency has determined the matter is the subject of a criminal investigation. “Shocked, not totally surprised,” said Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley. Bradley served 35 years on the Sarnia Police Service Board before stepping down, partly over his concerns regarding Davis. “I left the board three years ago because of the chief’s actions, and his relationship with the city and with the board, which I did not think was a productive relationship. And now we’re seeing all those allegations come out, which are quite disturbing. My concern is always the impact on the officers and civilians that serve,” said Bradley. In a letter to CTV News and other media outlets, Colquhoun says his complaint with the agency is the same one he originally filed with the Sarnia Police Service Board in March of this year. He says it concerns the conduct of chief Davis, including Davis’ alleged ties to private consulting interests, hiring decisions, and at the time, the decision by the Sarnia Police Service Board to pay Davis’ legal fees in a lawsuit against Colquhoun and the newspaper. That decision by the board has since been withdrawn. The lawsuit itself was also subsequently withdrawn. Davis is also the subject of a separate workplace harassment investigation. “There’s all sorts of grievances, human rights complaints. All sorts of other things unfolding. This is going to cost the taxpayers of Sarnia a lot of money,” said Bradley CTV News Public Safety Analyst Chris Lewis says it’s not unprecedented for a police chief to be under criminal investigation. He says justice needs to be allowed to run its course. “There’s an allegation. He’s not convicted. An investigation hasn’t been done. He may never be charged with anything at all. I think the public has to keep that in mind. But in the meantime, when any police officer comes under such scrutiny, particularly in a criminal way, ultimately it’s going to hurt public confidence,” said Lewis. The police service conducting the criminal investigation has not been named publicly. CTV News reached out to Davis for comment, but he did not respond. The Sarnia Police Service Board also declined to comment.
