April 2026
As I read through the court disclosure, it quickly became apparent that the man responsible for my legal troubles was a former friend, former co-worker and a currently-serving police sergeant: Mark McComb. Although I was furious at reading the allegations made against me, I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of over-the-top description of what I was accused of doing.
Background:
Back in December 2019, I was the subject of a Section 117 Public Safety Warrant, and had my legally owned hunting rifles seized, based solely on anonymous accusations made through Crime Stoppers. It was alleged that on numerous occasions during November 2019, I was observed in a manic state through the front window of my house, waving my rifles around and yelling loudly, threatening to “get even” with some people with whom I used to work.
Despite the anonymous complainant trying to pass themselves off as one of my neighbours, there were no photos, videos, audio recordings, or witnesses willing to come to court and be subject to cross-examination. There wasn’t even a 9-11 call, which is something that might be expected when a person in an apparent manic and violent state is observed waving rifles around and threatening to “get even” with people. I know why there were none of the above.
Those accusations against me were completely false, not just kind of false, nor an exaggeration of the truth, but completely false. It’s very disturbing that someone could make such accusations, with nothing to support those accusations, and successfully get police action, leading to court proceedings.
***In the initial closure given to me, all the dates and the information highlighted in orange were redacted (concealed). Those details were eventually released to me, after a complaint from my lawyer. I also received verbal confirmation that the information had been forwarded to Barrie Police by CrimeStoppers.***
Additional disclosure sent to my lawyer in November 2020.
What Happened Next
I’m a retired police officer who suffers from PTSD. I’m also a recovering alcoholic with ten-years sobriety as of 4 March 2026, things that I’ve been very open about the past several years (PTSD and alcoholism), and the criminal who made this complaint against me obviously thought they could use these facts against me. I’ve never been known as a violent person, even when I was drunk, and quite frankly, the allegations were quite over-the-top in their description of my alleged behaviour.
Fortunately, I had alibi evidence that refuted all the allegations. On four occasions, I wasn’t even at home on the alleged dates and times, along with having witnesses willing to testify that on the dates when I was at home, they were with me and nothing of the sort happened. The Crown Attourney saw fit to withdraw this application in April 2021, but not until I’d spent almost $9000 hiring a lawyer.
From my own investigation, I zeroed in on a particular suspect responsible for making these false complaints, that being former friend and former co-worker Sergeant Mark McComb of West Grey Police. Unfortunately, I only had circumstantial evidence linking McComb to this stunt, so I filed a formal complaint with Barrie Police, hoping that their investigation could uncover more substantial evidence.
Sergeant Kevin Scales of Barrie Police did conduct quite an extensive investigation, which included interviewing a potential witness, whom I will call “Ralph Furley,” but he denied having any knowledge of the allegations and who may have been responsible. This was exactly what “Ralph” had also told me when I attended his house to ask him if he knew anything about it, as he is also a friend of McComb. His denial of any knowledge was not a surprise, as it would have been in McComb’s best interest to keep that information from even his best friend “Ralph,” for the exact reason that someone may ask him about it.
What was surprising, though, was “Ralph’s” reaction. After giving him a quick explanation of what happened to me, his immediate reaction was to very tersely cut me off and state that he knew nothing about it and that he would say the same thing in a formal, police interview. A reaction that I would have expected if he truly knew nothing about the false allegations against me, would be to express shock that something like that could happen to me, ask me for more details, and perhaps, to stress he had nothing to do with the false allegations against me, just in case I was thinking that he was involved.
McComb, on the other hand, refused to be interviewed by Sergeant Scales. Although no one who is accused and/or charged with an offence has any obligation to answer questions, I can speak from personal experience that when I was accused of something that I did not do, I couldn’t wait to prove to the police and the court that the allegations were false. Even if you think it’s wise to say very little during your initial interaction with police until you speak to a lawyer, the adamant denials to police would just naturally come very quickly. While this certainly doesn’t prove that McComb is responsible, it certainly does nothing to indicate that my suspicions about him are wrong either.
Why not talk, if for no other reason than to positively exclude yourself as the person responsible for committing a crime against me? Was McComb afraid that he might not be able to hood-wink the police investigator; that the investigator, who was a homicide detective, would be able to spot any lies that he might tell, better than a lesser-trained investigator? “Ralph Furley” had no problem answering questions. Perhaps he didn’t have anything to hide? That said, I have no idea what “Furley” said, however, as I was denied access his statement.
I also attempted to get the West Grey Police Services Board (WGPSB) to conduct their own internal investigation into McComb, in the hope that they might be able to assist Sergeant Scales’ investigation and either confirm or refute my suspicions regarding McComb, but the Chair of the WGPSB failed to respond to my request, which I can only interpret as a refusal to investigate. I expressed to them that if McComb really had nothing to do with these false allegations against me, that I wouldn’t waste any more time investigating him, and any assistance they could provide might help.
As of this April, it’s been five-years since I was cleared of these completely false allegations made by a disgraceful coward. Over those years, I have searched for conclusive proof, proof beyond a reasonable doubt, that McComb is guilty of the criminal offence of Public Mischief. What I do have is lots of circumstantial evidence that points directly at one person: McComb. This is why I have repeatedly asked West Grey Police for their assistance in either confirming or refuting the allegations.
In my search, I have filed numerous Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, looking for something to substantiate, or refute, my allegations. While I have not, as of this moment, found anything substantial, I have also found nothing to indicate that I am wrong to believe that McComb is GUILTY as charged. In fact, with every denial of my FOI requests by West Grey Police and the West Grey Police Services Board along with no replies to any personal pleas I have made to current chief, Jeremy White and former chief Rob Martin, it has convinced me that I am indeed on the right track.
Why would West Grey Police continue to stonewall me? Why wouldn’t they want to know if one of their officers had indeed committed a criminal offence? The best I have gotten out of West Grey is from former Chief Rob Martin, who had secretary Rhonda Lantz verbally confirm for me that he did not conduct any internal investigation into any possible misconduct by McComb.
If I can exclude McComb as a suspect, I won’t waste any more time searching for evidence against him. So far, I have nothing to indicate that I should stop investigating him, nor will I do such. While it may be too late for any criminal charges or for me to take any civil action against him to recover my court costs of almost $9000, there is no statute of limitations on the truth being revealed.
Now I will address specific people:
McComb: The truth always has a habit of coming out eventually. I won’t stop searching for the truth, so why don’t you get with the program here and cooperate. Suspicion will hang over you until you agree to be interviewed. If you really aren’t behind these false allegations against me, why are you refusing to cooperate? You can end my investigation into your involvement at any time, yet you refuse to do that. You have made no attempt to convince me to look elsewhere. Are you afraid that you won’t be able to B.S. your way through an interrogation interview, conducted by someone a lot smarter at spotting a bullshitter than you are (or think you are)?
Jeremy White: Same to you. Why are you continuing the stonewalling that Martin started by refusing to investigate McComb, combined with refusing to explain exactly why there has been no investigation? I fail to understand why you wouldn’t want to know if one of their officers had indeed committed a criminal offence.
Doug Townsend, Chair, West Grey Police Services Board: Same to you.
Ralph Furley: If you really don’t know anything about these false allegations made against me, why did you refuse to talk to me or at least allow me access to your interview with Sgt Scales? Your behaviour the day I confronted you did nothing to convince me that you know absolutely nothing. You have a chance to prove me wrong about you and McComb, yet you also have made no attempt to convince me to look elsewhere.
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Also Read:
The Never-Ending Story – My fight for justice continues – Canadian Military History
Systemic failures have allowed a criminal to escape justice – Canadian Military History
