THUNDER BAY – Charges against the former lawyer for the Thunder Bay Police Service relate to alleged false statements made to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, and police investigators.
Holly Walbourne was arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police on April 9, 2024 and charged with obstructing a public or peace officer, breach of trust, and three counts of obstruction of justice.
The charges are the result of a two-year investigation by the OPP at the request of the Ministry of the Attorney General regarding allegations of misconduct within the Thunder Bay Police Service.
As first reported by Willow Fiddler from the Globe and Mail, according to court documents the count of obstructing a public or peace officer involves allegations that Walbourne made false or misleading statements or statements containing material omissions to members of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board in October 2021.
The breach of trust charge alleges Walbourne, as counsel to the chief of police and Thunder Bay Police Service, made false or misleading statements to the police services board and external counsel to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission between October 2021 and June 2022.
The OCPC launched an investigation into the leadership of the Thunder Bay Police Service in February 2022, which included allegations of misconduct by then police chief Sylvie Hauth, deputy chief Ryan Hughes, and Walbourne.
Hughes was suspended in January 2022 but reinstated in early 2023 after an external investigation by the Toronto Police Service found the allegations against him to be unsubstantiated.
Hauth was suspended in June 2022 after it was announced she would be subject to Police Service Act hearings for allegations of misconduct. The hearings never took place because she retired as chief in January 2023.
Two of the three counts of obstruction of justice against Walbourne relate to alleged false or misleading statements or statements with material omissions she made to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board and the OCPC between October 2021 and June 2022.
The final count of obstruction of justice alleges Walbourne also made false or misleading statements or statements with material omissions to detectives with the Toronto Police Service between January 2022 and November 2022.
Walbourne served as the in-house lawyer for the Thunder Bay Police Service for five years before leaving last April to return to a private practice.
In the past year, Walbourne did some retainer work for the police service consisting largely of transitional support following Darcy Fleury taking over as chief of police but she is no longer providing any legal services.
Walbourne will make her next court appearance in May. None of the allegations against her have been proven in court.
