Jason Wall
© Vince Talotta / Toronto StarJason Wall's complaint against police who arrested and jailed him on the Sunday morning of the G20 summit weekend resulted in a one-day suspension for the arresting officer and a lawsuit settlement against the Toronto police.
The first Toronto Police officer to be found guilty of misconduct during the G20 Summit was sentenced Wednesday.

A Toronto police officer found guilty of unlawfully arresting a G20 protester has been sentenced to a one-day suspension without pay.

Jason Wall was walking home from his girlfriend's house during the June 2010 G20 Summit when he was arrested on Yonge St. for wearing a disguise with intent. He had been wearing a bandana around his neck and carrying a backpack while heading to a church service.

He then spent over 24 hours in police custody at the Eastern Ave. detention centre, which he described in a victim impact statement as "unsanitary" and "chaotic." He was released without charge. Wall, a graphic designer, said during a February hearing the traumatic experience was "dehumanizing" and led him to distrust police to this day.

"As given in evidence, this egregious conduct has had a continuing effect on Mr. Wall," Justice Walter Gonet, a retired judge who was appointed to oversee the G20 tribunals, said in his decision Wednesday.

Gonet noted the arrest came a day after the riots that led to police cars burning and massive damage to downtown businesses. Const. Vincent Wong had been present during the riots, and his superiors had issued a directive that anyone with "a bandana, gas mask or goggles and had a backpack was 'arrestable,' " the retired judge wrote.

Still, Wong was found not to have reasonable and probable grounds for the arrest and was found guilty of a Police Services Act violation. That decision was made in December.

Wong has been a member of the Toronto Police Service since 2002, has no other complaints on his record, and has been recommended for promotions that were deferred because of his conviction, according to the decision.

"This makes me think that the defendant's conduct in this circumstance was an aberration and will not be repeated," Gonet wrote.

Wong's trial was the first to proceed of over two dozen cases. Officers found guilty of Police Services Act charges can face penalties ranging from docked pay to dismissal.

Wall declined comment after the tribunal.