No criminal charges for Costa Labos, police officer accused of lying to a judge
Montreal police chief reiterates his support for high-ranking officer following a criminal investigation
No criminal charges will be laid against Montreal police Chief-Insp. Costa Labos, a high-ranking internal affairs officer, following a criminal investigation by Quebec's provincial police.
Labos was accused of lying to a judge in order to obtain a search warrant. The investigation was launched in June of this year at the request of Montreal police Chief Philippe Pichet.
The Sûreté du Québec finished its report and gave it to the province's Director of Penal and Criminal Prosecutions (DPCP), which concluded there were no grounds to lay charges.
"I reiterate my full support to inspector-chief Labos," said Pichet.
Kept job during investigation
Montreal's police brotherhood called for Labos to be removed from his position when news of the investigation broke. It also attacked the judgment of Pichet for deciding to keep him in his post.
Pichet said he stands behind that decision.
"I understand a lot of people didn't have all the information, but I did," he said. "My decision was made based on facts."
The police chief added Labos is not popular with some officers because part of his duties involve disciplining and investigating officers accused of wrongdoing.
Force dogged by accusations
In June of this year, two members of the Montreal police department's anti-gang squad were charged after an internal investigation alleged they lied to get search warrants and one of them traded for sexual favours.
Faycal Djelidi is accused of a total of nine charges, while David Chartrand is accused of four.
Chartrand, 36, and Djelidi, 39, both worked on multidisciplinary investigations and youth co-ordination in the Montreal police's south division.