A Toronto police whistleblower has labelled the city's police chief a "schoolyard bully" for trying to punish him for speaking to the media, even after he has retired.

"I think it's unprecedented that the Toronto police wants to research whether they can try and maintain jurisdiction over Police Act charges when I'm not longer a police officer," Jim Cassells told CBC News on Wednesday.
 
Cassells, a retired sergeant who served on the Special Task Force investigating the police drug squad, said he became a target for discipline, harassment and demotion after speaking to reporters in May 2006. 

Cassells, 52, accused police brass of sweeping a string of assaults and other crimes by fellow officers under the carpet.
 
He retired earlier this month after 31 years with the force, but says he has learned that Toronto police Chief William Blair is trying to go forward with disciplinary hearings.

"I retired, I left, primarily because they relegated my job to no job at all. What is it that they want from me?" Cassells said. "I would character Chief Blair as vindictive and nothing more than a schoolyard bully." 

During a police disciplinary tribunal on Tuesday, George Cowley, director of legal services for the Toronto Police Service, requested a month's leave to review the Ontario Police Act to determine if it still has powers to prosecute officers after they turn in their badges. The next hearing date is April 16.

In an interview with CBC News following the hearing, Cowley rejected the characterization of Cassells as a whistleblower.

He also said it is possible in British Columbia to continue a misconduct prosecution even after an officer has left the force. But he conceded Toronto has never tried to discipline an officer after retiring or quitting.

"We're just looking at the options," he said.

But Cassells said it was absurd that the force would go after him when he hasn't heard of similar efforts against other now-retired officers his anti-corruption task force arrested.

A slew of criminal charges against six drug squad officers were stayed in January after the judge agreed trial had been unduly delayed, violating the officers' right to a speedy hearing.

The drug squad officers have steadfastly maintained their innocence. Several of the officers have filed their own multimillion-dollar lawsuit against authorities.

When asked Tuesday if the force was continuing to pursue disciplinary charges against Det.-Sgt. John Schertzer, the lead accused in the drug squad case, police spokesman Mark Pugash told CBC News the force loses jurisdiction over officers once they leave the force.

"Oh, no, he's retired," Pugash said.