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Police Service Act charges withdrawn against former City of Kawartha Lakes police officer

City of Kawartha Lakes Det. Const. Jeff Burke seen here in September 2008.
City of Kawartha Lakes Det. Const. Jeff Burke seen here in September 2008. File

Police Services Act charges of misconduct have been withdrawn against a former City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service constable who resigned earlier this week.

The municipal police service said on Friday morning that Jeff Burker resigned from his position as a constable, prompting the police service to withdraw charges of misconduct.

In the spring of 2018, Burke was handed multiple theft, fraud and breach of trust charges following an OPP-led investigation in December 2017 into drug exhibits that had been removed from the property and evidence storage area at the municipal police service’s detachment in Lindsay.

In court in May 2019, Burke, a 13-year officer, pleaded guilty to breach of trust. Court heard Burke kept more than 1,530 hydromorphone tablets that were supposed to be entered into evidence as part of an investigation at a pharmacy.

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He remained suspended by the service pending two investigations under the Police Service Act for misconduct.

Those investigations ended Friday, according to Sgt. Dave Murtha.

“Misconduct charges under the Police Services Act are a labour relations issue,” said Murtha. “As Mr. Burke is no longer an employee of the Kawartha Lakes Police Service, there is no jurisdiction to continue pursuing the charges.”

In January, Burke, 41, was arrested and charged with impaired driving.

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