High-ranking YRP officer facing dangerous driving charge suspended amid Santa parade incident

A York Regional Police staff sergeant faces court over alleged dangerous driving at the Innisfil Santa Claus Parade.

A longtime, high-ranking York Regional Police officer facing a dangerous driving charge following an incident at the Innisfil Santa Claus Parade last month has been suspended with pay.

The suspension comes following an investigation by South Simcoe police into an alleged dangerous driving incident on the afternoon of November 23 near Innisfil Beach Road and Jans Boulevard.

Charged is 53-year-old York Regional Police Staff Sergeant Laurie Perks. She is the woman South Simcoe police believe was behind the wheel of a grey Audi SUV that witnesses said hopped the curb after being blocked from driving through the Innisfil Santa Claus parade route.

Perks, whom police revealed was off duty at the time, was charged days after investigators appealed for the public’s help identifying the driver of the vehicle.

Witnesses told police the Audi was seen jumping the curb and exiting the plaza parking lot along Innisfil Beach Road at about 2:30 p.m., before travelling through a pedestrian walkway.

No one was injured, according to investigators, who released images of the vehicle caught on surveillance cameras at the time.

Perks has worked as a police officer for about 30 years, having climbed the ranks for more than two decades in York Region; working for years as a media officer, detective and now staff sergeant.

It was about 12 years ago, while working as a supervisor, Perks found herself as a respondent following a workplace harassment complaint that ultimately found she engaged in name calling and made derogatory comments about one of her female officers, whom she suspected had called in sick from work to travel to Jamaica.

An investigation into her conduct found Perks went as far as calling Pearson International Airport and the Canada border services agency to find out whether the female officer had flown to Jamaica where she had property with her husband.

Despite learning her suspicions were mistaken, the investigator said Perks provided incorrect information to management claiming the officer travelled to Jamaica, when in fact she had not.

Perks received no formal discipline and was subsequently promoted to Staff Sergeant.

York Regional Police has confirmed Perks has been suspended with pay in accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act.

Court records obtained by CTV News revealed Perks was charged a year ago with failing to remain at the scene of a crash in Innisfil. The charge was withdrawn last month.

Perks is scheduled to make her first court appearance early in the new year. The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.