Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner, Thomas Carrique, released a lengthy statement on Thursday night, defending the integrity of the OPP probe into the conduct of three Toronto Police officers during the Umar Zameer murder trial.

The OPP’s probe found no evidence that the officers lied or colluded in their testimony in the death of Det-Const. Jeffrey Northrup, but Zameer’s lawyer has since come forward suggesting the police-on-police probe may have been biased.

The probe was requested by Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw after Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy told the jury during her final instructions to consider the possibility that the three officers who served as the prosecution’s key witnesses — Sgt. Lisa Forbes (then a detective constable), Det-Const. Antonio Correa and Det-Const. Scharnil Pais — may have colluded.

Earlier Thursday, Zameer’s lawyer, Nader Hasan, questioned whether the OPP probe was impartial, and demanded a public inquiry into police conduct during the trial.

“We expected the worst from a police investigation into other police,” Hasan said. “These types of reviews invariably range from the inadequate to outright whitewashing.”

“We need to now set the record straight about this so-called OPP report that was released this week. We are here today because we are witnessing a chilling moment in the history of the Canadian justice system.”

Carrique fired back later Thursday, defending the OPP’s probe and vehemently denying it was swayed in any way by bias.

“To ensure there were no conflicts of interest, the OPP conducted an independent criminal investigation into this matter led by the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). CIB investigators are highly trained and operate under strict investigative standards, legal requirements and internal review processes. Their conclusion was reached after re-examining all available evidence, following every lead and adhering with strict investigative standards and established procedures required in any criminal investigation.

Along with a public inquiry into the officers’ conduct, Hasan wants the OPP and Toronto Police Service (TPS) to release the full collision report they put together for the report that was released on Tuesday as well as all communication between the OPP, TPS and Toronto Police Association (TPA) about the investigation.

A spokesperson for the premier’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the possibility of an inquiry.

Carrique, meanwhile, said he takes exception “to any suggestion that the criminal investigation lacked independence, failed to adhere to strict protocols or was influenced in any way by another service.”

“The OPP recognizes the importance of maintaining public trust, especially when police are the subject of an investigation. We stand by the report, the expert work of our investigators and collision reconstructionist, and their findings,” he wrote.

“There is no legislated independent body in Ontario mandated to conduct criminal investigations of members of police services other than the Special Investigations Unit that has a very specific mandate that does not apply in this case.”

The Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Thomas Carrique, has provided a statement following the release of the OPP’s investigative report into whether three Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers committed criminal offences during the investigation into TPS… pic.twitter.com/AyTPDcZkEs

— Thomas Carrique (@OPPCommissioner) March 19, 2026

Northrup, a plainclothes officer, was fatally run over by a vehicle driven by Zameer in an underground parking garage at Toronto City Hall in July 2021. Zameer was acquitted two years ago.

The OPP’s expert concluded that Northup was standing upright when the vehicle moved forward, and wasn’t on the ground, as both expert witnesses had testified in court.

Carrique defended that discrepancy, saying “OPP Collision Reconstructionists are highly trained specialists who analyze physical evidence, vehicle dynamics and environmental facts to determine the circumstances and causes of vehicle collisions. They formulate conclusions based on evidence and provide expert opinion.

“The OPP Collision Reconstructionist utilized all investigative material received from TPS, including scene videos, photographs, a three dimensional scan of the scene, the TPS collision field notes, the TPS collision reconstruction report, the mechanical examination report, forensic identification reports, which included fingerprints, Centre of Forensic Sciences reports and the postmortem report. The OPP Collision Reconstructionist conducted vehicle examinations, testing the actual vehicle and attended the scene with an exemplar vehicle to assist in the analysis.

“To remain unbiased and impartial during their investigation, the OPP Collision Reconstructionist did not read witness statements, occurrence reports, court testimony or the judge’s comments made during the trial.

“Members of the OPP Technical Collision and Reconstruction Program are committed to conducting thorough, impartial and highly professional investigations.”

With files from John Marchesan, Patricia D’Cunha and Shauna Hunt