Brutality Canada Police Brutality O Canada

OPP moves to fire Indian activist's killer

Officer was convicted in 1997 shooting

May. 24, 2001
Peter Edwards STAFF REPORTER

ORILLIA - The Ontario Provincial Police force is seeking to expel Acting Sergeant Ken Deane because of his criminal conviction for shooting an Indian activist to death.

Deane, 39, was convicted in April, 1997 of criminal negligence causing death in the late-night shooting of Anthony (Dudley) George on Sept. 6, 1995 at Ipperwash Provincial Park near Sarnia.

Deane's conviction was upheld in January by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Deane has been served with a letter from the OPP which states it is seeking his dismissal because he has been convicted of a criminal offence, Superintendent Rick Kotwa said in an interview at OPP headquarters.

Mr. Justice Hugh Fraser ruled in his 1997 trial that Deane knew George was unarmed when he shot George with a sub-machinegun.

George was one of a group of Indians who occupied the park at the end of tourist season, saying it was on a sacred burial ground. That claim was later upheld by the federal government.

The OPP professional standards branch met briefly early this week on the Deane case.

There, it was announced that the prosecutor in the force's hearing on Deane will be Denise Dwyer, who has worked for a decade as a criminal prosecutor in Kitchener and Toronto.

Deane's defence will be handled by Ian Roland, general counsel to the Police Association of Ontario and the Canadian Police Association. Roland, an experienced lawyer in employment matters, was involved in the development of the Police Services Act, under which Deane is now charged.

An adjudicator to preside over Deane's case has not yet been selected.

``We would want someone separate from our organization,'' Kotwa said.

The move to expel Deane caught Brian Adkin, head of the OPP Police Association, off guard.

The association is funding Deane's defence.

``I'm surprised by that,'' Adkin said, declining further comment.

Deane was a leader on the OPP's paramilitary tactical unit the night George was shot dead.

Deane is now working in an office job in the OPP traffic support bureau and does not carry a firearm in his current duties, Kotwa said.

He was not at the brief hearing meeting Tuesday, where a date of June 6 was set for the next hearing.

Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law.

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This page created May 28, 2001