THUNDER BAY - A city police sergeant told the court Tuesday he was asked by a constable to attend a keep the peace call, but didn't go when he heard another sergeant was on their way.
The trial for Staff Sgt. Michael Dimini, who was charged in Dec. 2023 with breach of trust and obstruction, continued on Tuesday at the Thunder Bay Courthouse.
The court heard last week that local police officers attended a Frederica Street apartment the evening of Nov 24, 2020 in response to Dimini’s then father-in-law, Clody Marson, attempting to buy back a TV that was stolen from his storage area.
The TV was posted online by Derek Turner and his then-girlfriend. Turner had outstanding warrants for his arrest at the time.
Sgt. Todd Pritoula testified that he was one of two sergeants working that evening, and was assigned to the south side of the city.
At the time of the incident Priotula was in the parking lot of Intercity Shopping Centre when a ‘keep the peace call’ occurred on Frederica Street.
“I was not, myself, dispatched to the call,” said Pritoula. “It’s on the outside of the south area.”
Pritoula said that sergeants only go to the other side of the city, “if the other sergeant is busy or tied up.”
Pritoula told the court that constables are usually on solo patrol and that he will go for safety measures if there’s a large group of individuals with the possibility of an officer requiring assistance.
Pritoula said he remembers getting a phone call from Const. Nathan Gunn, one of the officers sent to the call.
"Const. Gunn mentioned something about a drug house and if I could go with him," Pritoula said.
The sergeant then started heading to Frederica Street, but then Dimini "booked the call."
The Crown asked Pritoula why he didn't go to the call.
“I didn’t believe at the time two sergeants were needed for a standby,” Pritoula said.
After the incident occurred, Pritoula said Const. Ian West approached him in a cruiser and mentioned that it was Dimini's former father-in-law. West then told Pritoula that, “he didn’t think they had authorization to enter.”
Pritoula mentioned that West told him to take notes of what happened and then spoke with the staff sergeant at the time.
Pritoula said that that Dimini called him later in that shift, hoping to meet up. The two met and Dimini expressed concern and was upset West had challenged him about the entry into the apartment.
When speaking to Dimini that evening, Pritoula said, “he told me there was fresh pursuit.” Pritoula thought the pursuit was for possession of stolen property, but later found out it was for a wanted male.
Pritoula then mentioned that there was no conflict-of-interest policy with the TBPS in November 2020 that he knew of, and spoke of his own personal home robbery experience, where he stated he was not involved in the investigation but would go to pawn shops in Thunder Bay while wearing a uniform and inquire about his stolen items.
The defence asked Pritroula if he received information about the ongoing trial and if it was his from his current partner.
Pritroula acknowledged he did hear about information and told the court his girlfriend is a dispatcher for the Thunder Bay Police Service and she does dispatch him occasionally to calls for service.
Pritroula acknowledged that this is potentially a conflict of interest.
Pritoula was also asked about attempting to speak to the Crown on Tuesday, He admitted to asking for a conversation and being denied by the Crown.
None of the allegations against Dimini have been proven in court.
The trial continues Wednesday.
