A former staff sergeant from the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) has been given a three-year prison sentence for breach of trust and obstruction of justice. Michael Dimini, who was charged by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in December 2023, was found guilty in Thunder Bay’s Ontario Court of Justice in February after a lengthy investigation.
Dimini, who resigned from the force, faced two counts of assault in addition to breach of trust and obstruction of justice charges. He was convicted of breach of trust and obstruction of justice, while one assault charge was dismissed, and he was acquitted of the other.
During the sentencing, Justice Michael Block imposed a three-year prison term for breach of trust and a two-year concurrent term for obstruction of justice. Dimini, 46, expressed remorse in court, acknowledging the impact of his actions on others and describing it as a devastating period in his life.
The trial centered on Dimini’s unauthorized entry into an apartment on Frederica Street in November 2020, where he disregarded proper procedures to retrieve stolen items belonging to his former father-in-law. He also tampered with another officer’s report in the police system, actions deemed to serve personal motives rather than public interest.
Dimini’s sentencing coincides with ongoing challenges faced by TBPS, including the legal proceedings against former police chief Sylvie Hauth, who faces charges of obstruction of a public officer or peace officer, breach of trust, and obstruction of justice. Hauth, who was suspended in 2022 and retired in 2023, awaits her trial as former TBPS lawyer Holly Walbourne was recently acquitted of similar charges.
The court heard victim impact statements during Dimini’s sentencing, with one resident expressing distrust towards law enforcement following the incident. The prosecutor highlighted the seriousness of Dimini’s actions and emphasized the need for a sentence reflecting the gravity of the breach of trust.
Despite arguments for community-based sentencing due to Dimini’s mental health conditions, the judge emphasized the importance of upholding the law and maintaining public trust in law enforcement. Block stressed the need for accountability within the justice system to restore confidence in the integrity of police services.