THUNDER BAY —The court heard from several witnesses on Monday at the trial for Staff Sgt. Michael Dimini, who was charged in Dec. 2023 for breach of trust and obstruction.
The charges relate to an incident where Thunder Bay Police Service officers were dispatched to help keep the peace at an apartment on West Frederica Street on Nov. 24, 2020. Dimini’s then father-in-law had arranged to buy back a TV that had been stolen from his storage area.
The TV was posted online for sale by a user named Derek Turner, who was wanted at the time on outstanding warrants.
Samantha Hotrum, a communications operator with the police, was a call taker on the day of the incident and received the initial report of the TV being found online.
According to Hotrum, the options of officers attending immediately or later to keep the peace were offered.
Hotrum was not contacted again after the first call.
Const. Nathan Gunn, one of the officers involved, met with another officer, Const. Ian West, after they received the call from dispatch. Gunn said West requested more officers to attend.
The warrant for Turner was significant in the request for other units, confirmed Gunn, when asked by defence lawyer Mark Ertel.
A few minutes after the officers arrived and were given the TV by the woman who answered the door, Dimini arrived in the hallway outside the apartment, Gunn testified.
“(There was) no information that a sergeant was attending,” he said.
While he was around nine metres from the doorway, Gunn explained that Dimini entered the apartment first. Gunn also entered for officer safety, he said, due to his familiarity with the building, which had several rooms, closets and cubbies.
According to Gunn, there were three men inside the apartment with the woman: one in the living room who was advised to leave, a second who was hiding in a bedroom closet and released after leaving with another officer and a third man who was identified and arrested in the bathroom with over $1,500 in his possession.
Crown lawyer Vlatko Karadzic asked Gunn if there were no grounds to arrest or enter the unit at the time.
Gunn agreed that there were no grounds.
During cross-examination, Ertel further asked if Gunn was concerned about charging the man who had the $1,500 for having the proceeds of crime but not with the crime.
He also asked whether there was discussion about the possibility the place may also be used to trafficked drugs, which Gunn confirmed.
Gunn later agreed that sergeants are often called prior to attending similar situations.
David Bruce, a communication officer with the TBPS, also testified in court regarding relaying information concerning the call, including Turner’s warrant, through the dispatcher to inform the police unit.
When defence lawyer Michelle O’Doherty asked if it was not standard to have four officers dispatched to keep the peace, Bruce agreed.
While there was no standard policy he was aware of for conflict of interest, he added, generally speaking, officers should not be on a call with family.
The trial is continuing Tuesday morning.
None of the allegations against the accused have been proven in court.
