Sarnia’s police chief, Chief Derek Davis, is under investigation for potential criminal activities following a complaint filed by a local business owner and former city councillor. The complaint, forwarded by Ontario’s Inspectorate of Policing to York Regional Police, suggests that the reported incidents might amount to criminal offenses.
According to a spokesperson from York Regional Police, an active criminal investigation is underway, although specific details have not been disclosed. The probe was initiated after Nathan Colquhoun submitted a complaint earlier this year, alleging Chief Davis’ questionable hiring practices and involvement in private consulting activities.
Colquhoun, who is the owner and a columnist for The Sarnia Journal, claimed that his complaint also accused Davis of misusing public resources to issue defamation notices to the local media outlet. Earlier in the year, Chief Davis filed and later dropped a $1.5 million defamation lawsuit against Colquhoun and his company.
Chief Davis, appointed in 2022, had been on paid suspension since May due to a separate investigation into workplace harassment allegations conducted by an external law firm. Despite attempts to contact Davis for a response, he has not been reached for comments.
Kelly Ash, the chair of the Sarnia Police Services Board, acknowledged the public’s concerns in a recent social media post but refrained from providing further details on the criminal investigation. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to obtain a copy of the complaint and related documents from Colquhoun.
In the interim, former Deputy Police Chief Mike Federico from Toronto has assumed the role of acting chief for the Sarnia police service during Chief Davis’ suspension.