Ontario’s Inspector General announced last week that all of Ontario’s police forces will be subject to corruption investigations. The monumental probe was prompted by the arrest of eight Toronto police officers by York Regional Police.
Last week, seven active Toronto police officers and one retiree were detained following an investigation into organized crime. An additional 19 suspects are under further investigation. The operation dubbed “Project South”, exposed that several TPS officers were heavily involved in organized criminal activity. Four of the officers have been suspended without pay.
Charges include conspiracy to commit murder, theft of personal property, accepting bribes, false accusations, and the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and police uniforms.
Inspector General Ryan Teschner has stated that the fallout of this scandal has “understandably shaken public trust” of police forces, and that this independent, province-wide investigation is intended to restore it. According to Teschner, “Effective policing depends on public confidence”.
Toronto mayor Olivia Chow said last Tuesday that Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw must “earn [public] trust back.” Premier Doug Ford called the case “very disturbing”, but dismissed the issue as “a few bad apples”, claiming “we have the best police in the world”.
Reactions to the probe from police units in the province have been mixed. London police welcomed the probe last Monday. Last Friday, Windsor police disparaged the probe as “unfair and inappropriate”.
York Regional Police began Project South in June of 2025 following the uncovering of a conspiracy to commit murder in York Region. It is alleged by York police that information regarding the attempted murder was provided to suspects by Constable Timothy Barnhardt of Toronto.
Barnhardt has been charged with accepting bribes, breach of trust by a public officer, unauthorized use of a computer and conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as drug-trafficking-related and firearm-related charges.
As the investigation unfolded, it was uncovered that other police officers, Retired constable John Madeley Sr., Constable John Madeley Jr., and Sergeant Carl Grellete also allegedly made illegal database inquiries to provide personal information to organized criminals.
Other instances of alleged corruption include the theft of passports and bankcards by Constable Derek McCormick, drug trafficking by Constable Saurabjit Bedi, and drug trafficking by Sergeant Robert Black.
In recent years Ontario police departments have received a great deal of scrutiny from across the province. The Thunder Bay Police Service has been under investigation by the office of the Inspector General since 2024; First Nations groups have called on the service to be disbanded for decades due to the mishandling of cases involving missing and murdered indigenous peoples.
In 2021, a York Region police officer was found guilty of 11 counts of drug trafficking. In 2020, five Toronto police officers were implicated in organized crime involving tow-truck turf wars, arson, shootings, and murders.
Be part of the conversation!
Only subscribers can comment. Subscribe to The North Star to join the conversation under our articles with our journalists and fellow community members. If you’re already subscribed, log in.