Senior northern Ont. police sergeant pleads guilty to pointing gun at rookie cops
A 67-year-old detective staff sergeant with the Anishinabek Police Service in northern Ontario has pleaded guilty to pointing his service pistol at colleagues and using a gun in a careless manner.
Complaints from several fellow APS officers led to an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police professional standards unit.
APS Det. Staff Sgt. Tony Hanson. Jan. 30/17 (Anishinabek Police Service Twitter)
As a result of the investigation, Tony Hanson was charged in June 2023 with 18 criminal offences.
Hanson is a long-time member of the Indigenous police service starting in 2002.
The charges include nine counts each of using his police service-issued Glock 9 mm in a careless manner and pointing it at three different rookie officers on several different occasions.
Court documents obtained by CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca state the incidents occurred between Oct. 7, 2020, and April 1, 2022, at the Pic River APS detachment in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, near Marathon in northwestern Ontario.
A dozen of the charges involve one officer.
After the charges were laid last year, Hanson was suspended with pay.
In a hearing Feb. 16, he pleaded guilty to one of each criminal charge, for a total of two.
Requests for comment sent to APS Acting Chief of Police Marc Lesage went unanswered.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
Hanson is listed on the Ontario Sunshine List with APS as staff sergeant professional standards from 2006 to 2008 with salaries ranging from $106,670 to $112,873.
The judge ordered a pre-sentence report, which will outline his background and will be used to inform the sentencing decision.
The penalty in Canada for a conviction of pointing a firearm is up to five years in prison and up to two years of imprisonment for careless use of a gun.
His next court date is scheduled for July 18 at 2 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.