Explosive corruption allegations within the Toronto Police Service detailed in newly unsealed court records - Toronto Star

A thwarted assassination attempt of a jail official helped break open one of the biggest police corruption scandals in the city’s history. 

Toronto Const. Timothy Barnhardt, left, is accused of leaking the address of a prison staff member to Brian Da Costa, right.

Toronto Const. Timothy Barnhardt was unaware a recording device had been hidden inside his police cruiser as he invited an alleged drug dealer into the passenger seat.

Barnhardt showed the man the computer screen attached to the centre console, where the veteran officer could search confidential databases containing people’s home addresses. Police allege that Barnhardt had been feeding the information gleaned from the searches to criminals, who used it to conduct shootings, robberies and other violent acts.

Inside the cruiser on that September 2025 day, the man handed Barnhardt multiple $100 bills, which the officer tucked into the front pocket of his police vest.

The scene is among a raft of new details the Star can now report regarding the stunning allegations of corruption within the Toronto Police Service.

Portions of the court document Project South investigators filed in January to obtain search warrants were released Wednesday as a result of a court application by the Toronto Star and a coalition of media partners.

The newly released records show how investigators, working from a thwarted assassination attempt of a jail official, ultimately unfurled one of the biggest police corruption scandals in the city’s history, uncovering alleged ties to organized crime, drug dealing among officers, casual bribe-taking, frequent misuse of police databases and the selling of police uniforms.