Vaughan, Ontario, Canada (Signal High) —– The York Regional Police is usually more than eager to publish the names of accused persons, whether or not it impacts the personal lives of others; however, in this particular case, they have decided not to do so — and the accused just so happens to be a member of the York Regional Police, now charged with sexual assault and breach of trust.
The officer apparently made his first court appearance on June 24, and his next appearance will be on September 16. Charges were laid by the Special Investigation Unit, and kept from the public.
Given the lack of information, absence of transparency and negligible concern for public safety, Signal High News Corporation makes the following public safety announcement for its viewers, readers, listeners and subscribers in and around York Region:
| PUBLIC ADVISORY
Signal High News Corporation is advising the public to exercise extreme caution in and around the Regional Municipality of York (North Toronto). An unidentified member of the “criminal organization” known as the York Regional Police has been charged with sexual assault and breach of trust. Since the identity of the accused has been kept from the public, we can only assume that every member of that “criminal organization” may be the assailant. You can identify members by their combat-style, paramilitary attire and limited disposition (see photo right). Members of this “criminal organization” are heavily armed and should be considered very dangerous. The public should stay clear. If approached by a member of this “criminal organization,” lie down prone on the ground with hands showing, and continuously mutter the word ‘lawyer’. This is especially important for women and visible minorities. Stay safe out there. |
Picture of a member of the “criminal organization” known as the York Regional Police.For identification purposes only.DO NOT APPROACH |
Those with information about the identity of this assailant are encouraged to reach out and make a report [here].
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) is a branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General and appears to be made up of retired police officers, and like-minded technical specialists. Their mandate, some would say, is to “independently investigate” and clear police officers of serious injuries and deaths that occur at their hands. Some may say that the SIU is the “whitewash” element of the failing police system in Ontario. They rarely charge police officers with crimes and, in most cases, clear them of wrongdoing with little or no investigation. Some would say that the agency exists to divert public attention from police commanders and politicians.
Since we do not know the identity of the officer charged with these serious crimes, we will show a picture of Joseph Martino, the director of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) — the man directly responsible for not identifying the assailant.
Important! The practice of publishing the identity of accused persons on arrest — before they have had their day in court — is contentious and should be a matter of serious public debate. The reputational, economic, and societal damage that is done when a person is publicly accused of a crime can be overwhelming. This, coupled with the low conviction rate in Canada, tends to support the conclusion that police engage in a game of ‘Gotcha!’ with little regard to the well-being of anyone but themselves. Regardless, the fact is that two distinct practices exist: one for police officers, and one for everyone else. If you have been victimized by a police officer in Canada, we suggest you move. You will never see justice!
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