A former Toronto police constable, Derek McCormick, has pleaded guilty to theft and breach of trust charges related to supplying ‘burner phones’ from lost property to another officer involved in the Project South corruption investigation.According to court documents, McCormick, who worked at 52 Division, allegedly used his position to provide stolen cellphones to Const.Timothy Barnhardt, a key figure accused of drug trafficking and bribery.

The agreed statement of facts reveals McCormick began purchasing painkillers from Barnhardt last year and later facilitated access to lost property phones.

While McCormick did not know the full extent of Barnhardt’s plans, he allegedly texted Barnhardt promising to obtain a phone once he returned to duty.The case is part of Project South, a York Regional Police investigation into corruption tied to an alleged attempted murder of a jail guard.McCormick resigned in June 2026, while Barnhardt faces 17 charges, the most among officers in the probe.The incident highlights systemic issues within police accountability and the misuse of lost property systems.