No charges will be laid against Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope, after a lengthy breach of trust investigation by the OPP.
Chatham-Kent police officials say on August 20, 2013, former Police Chief Dennis Poole had requested the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) conduct an independent investigation into a complaint which the Chatham-Kent Police Service had received from a member of the public alleging that Mayor Randy Hope and other senior municipal officials of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent may have committed Breach of Trust or Municipal Corruption offences.
Since the Mayor sits as a member of the Chatham-Kent Police Services Board, it was deemed inappropriate due to what may be perceived as a conflict of interest for the Chatham-Kent Police Service to investigate the complaint and therefore it was referred to the OPP.
These allegations were thoroughly investigated by the Anti-Rackets Branch, Criminal Investigations Services of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
On Monday April 25, 2016 Chief Gary Conn of the Chatham-Kent Police Service received correspondence that the investigation into these allegations had been concluded.
It was determined that there was no criminality involved and as a result, no further action is warranted by the OPP.
As this was an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigation, no further comments will be provided by the Chatham-Kent Police Service surrounding the details of the investigation.
