Calling it a “difficult and trying time”, Chatham-Kent Police Chief Gary Conn has responded to a guilty plea made by former Chatham-Kent Police sergeant, Robert Mugridge.
“Sergeant Mugridge has been suspended from duty for the past three years in relation to these charges,” Conn said in a statement released to the media.
“Sergeant Mugridge has had to deal with two processes and charges under both the Criminal Code of Canada and the Police Services Act of Ontario. The latter included 50 counts of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act, which back in February of this year, both the prosecutor and defense entered an agreed statement of fact and a joint submission in regards to penalty, which was termination.”
Conn said yesterday, Sergeant Mugridge dealt with the criminal charges, where he entered a guilty plea to one all-encompassing count of fraud over $5,000.
The Police Services Act hearing will re-convene in December of this year, when it is slated to be finalized, Conn said.
“This has certainly been a difficult and trying time for both our Service and the citizens of Chatham-Kent,” Conn stated.
“Having said that, this does bring us one step closer to the conclusion of this protracted matter. Both processes take significant amount of time, however we (Chatham-Kent Police Service) did everything in our power to expedite these investigations.”
In 2014, Mugridge was charged under the Police Services Act with Discreditable Conduct.
Police officials say the charge was as a result of an investigation, which was initially conducted by the Professional Standards Section of the Chatham-Kent Police, and subsequently handed over to the London Police Service at the request of former Chatham-Kent Chief of Police, Dennis Poole.
The investigations surrounded the conduct of Mugridge into how financial loans and other monies were obtained from financial institutions, members of the public and members of the Chatham-Kent Police Service, police officials said.
Mugridge was charged with 50 counts of Discreditable Conduct, 1 count of Deceit, 1 count of Corrupt Practice under Police Services Act Code of Conduct.
He also faced over 50 criminal charges of fraud.
Since the charges first came to light, Mugridge was suspended from duty with pay.
– Photo credit: Chatham-Kent Police Service
I understand innocent until proven guilty but with the amount of people that came forward and were contacted on this matter 3 years ago or later, why pay him his full wages on what I understand totals $330,000 over this time frame.
For the individuals that have lost out, must be sick to their stomach when they see what he is collecting while suspended.
In cases like this why not suspend his pay or have go thru a waiting period and collect unemployment like everyone else in the working force. If proven not guilty then he would be reimbursed his wages!