Toronto police say an officer in the force's drug squad died of a fentanyl overdose earlier this year, with the amount of the opioid found in his system being too large to have been caused by mere contact with the drug.
Acting Chief Jim Ramer says an investigation was launched after Const. Michael Thompson was found at his home in medical distress on April 10.
Thompson was rushed to hospital, where he died three days later.
Ramer says Thompson was a good officer and was respected by his colleagues.
An investigating was launched into the circumstances around Thompson's death, but police say many questions remain unanswered.
Police say Thompson had access to street-level drugs and add that the cases he was involved in were due to go before the courts Monday.
"By working with the Crown, the service has learned that because of his death, and the circumstances under which it happened, changes will be made to how these cases proceed, or not, through the justice system," Ramer says in the statement.
