New court date set for 8 Wing Commander Dahl

A new Belleville court date has been scheduled for Col. Leif Dahl, 8 Wing Base commander, in connection to a series of firearms-related charges by the Ontario Provincial Police in late August.

Dahl did not appear in court yesterday as the matters were held over until Oct. 26.

Now on leave, Dahl was temporarily removed from his post as base commander of 8 Wing Trenton pending the outcome of court proceedings stemming from an incident in which he was charged with firearms offences Aug. 28.

In addition to five firearms-related charges originally laid against Dahl in connection to an incident on the Murray Canal, OPP laid three new firearms charges shortly after.

Quinte West OPP laid additional charges against Dahl, 45, of Belleville.

“On August 25, 2023, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Quinte West OPP responded to the canal in Quinte West for a complaint of a firearm being discharged from a boat. It was reported to police that protected wildlife was being targeted. During the investigation the OPP's Underwater Search and Recovery Unit recovered a firearm from the canal,” the OPP said in an earlier news release.

“As part of the ongoing investigation, on August 28, 2023, Quinte West OPP, including members of the Quinte West Crime Unit, executed a search warrant at a residence in Belleville. The same day, the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit recovered a second firearm from the canal.”

OPP laid a second set of charges including, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, careless storage of a firearm , and breach of firearms regulation - transporting a firearm or restricted weapon.

The charges follow five previous charges laid by OPP that include obstruct peace officer, careless use of firearm, use firearm carelessly to hunt, hunt bird without a licence, and unlawfully have a loaded firearm in conveyance.