Police watchdog to investigate ‘potential misconduct’ allegations involving members of Toronto drug squad

A Toronto Police Services logo is shown at headquarters, in Toronto, on Friday, August 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

The conduct of an unknown number of members of Toronto Police Service’s Drug Squad will be investigated by Ontario’s Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA).

The independent civilian oversight agency, which looks into public complains about police conduct in Ontario, confirmed to CP24 on Monday that Toronto’s Chief of Police Myron Demkiw notified its director of “potential misconduct” involving members of his force’s drug squad.

“Director (Stephen) Leach determined that it was in the public interest for LECA to initiate an investigation into these allegations,” the statement provided to CP24 notes.

The investigation comes in the wake of Det. Const. Brian Sukhram, a plainclothes officer with the drug squad, pleading guilty to impaired driving and flight from police following a July 2024 incident in Mississauga.

Officials with LECA said their investigation is now suspended due to “related criminal proceedings.” The probe and “appropriate investigative steps, including obtaining relevant disclosure from the police service,” will resume once those legal proceedings conclude.

Officers, allegations can’t be revealed: LECA

The civilian agency said it cannot identify any of the officers who may be designated as respondent officers in this investigation, nor can it comment on the “specifics of the allegations or any connection to ongoing criminal proceedings” due to “strict confidentiality obligations.”

Leach, the agency’s director, has assigned an investigative team consisting of LECA staff members to this case.

The agency said is is aiming to complete its probe within 120 days.