If only the rest of us could flash a uniform and expect to get our meals for free.

A Toronto cop with a “high degree of entitlement” has been docked eight days pay for routinely failing to pay for the takeout food he’d pick up while he was on duty in 13 Division.

Const. Vishal Uppal had his conviction of discreditable conduct upheld by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission which rejected his claim that his behaviour was “borderline at worst” and police are always benefitting from discounts offered to them by Toronto businesses, restaurants in particular.

But this wasn’t the occasional free cup of Tim Hortons’ coffee.

“The penalty ... may at first seem harsh,” noted the commission in a recent decision. “However, the reasons of the Hearing Officer and her concerns for the integrity of police officers do stand up to a ‘somewhat probing examination’ and are reasonable.”

In 2014, Supt. Debra Preston found the officer guilty of misconduct for chowing down on 10 to 12 free meals from Invictus Bar and Grill on St. Clair Ave. W., owned at the time by Evaristo Mountinho and his two sons, Nelson and Pedro. According to her ruling, between 2010 and 2013, the in-uniform Uppal would often enter through the back door directly into the restaurant kitchen after ordering his meals in advance. He’d make a little small talk and off he’d go. “The only payment he ever made was when he left a $5.00 tip for a waitress.”

She rejected his contention that everyone does it.

“As an organization and a profession, we have progressed far beyond the times where, as professionals, we allow business owners to look after police officers,” Preston said.

Nelson and Pedro testified at his hearing that they were at the restaurant several times when Uppal phoned in his order and then picked it up, never offering to pay. “Pedro also testified that he observed (the officer) consume alcohol in the kitchen up to five times.”

Their father, who refused to testify at the hearing, told investigators he never saw Uppal drinking on the job and it was his idea to let him dine for free on takeout orders that ran about $10 to $20 each.

But he had said something quite different to another officer, the hearing heard. In June 2013, the restaurant owner had pulled out Uppal’s business card and complained to Const. Rui Simoes that his colleague wasn’t paying for his orders. When Mountinho confronted him about it, Uppal allegedly told him, “Come on ... I’m just a poor guy that lives with my mother in Brampton.”

Simoes testified that the owner was hesitant but upset. “The business was in the process of being sold at this point. Const. Simoes understood the allegation was he was being pushed to give away expensive food items.”

Simoes reported Uppal to his superiors. A Professional Standards investigation followed and he was charged with misconduct and consuming alcohol while on duty. He was acquitted on the drinking charge.

When speaking to investigators, Mountinho backtracked and denied complaining about Uppal, insisting it was his idea to offer him food on the house. Even if that were so, the freeloader should have known better than to accept the offer.

“Officers who rely upon the uniform and their position to obtain a benefit undermine the reputation of the Service,” his hearing officer wrote in finding him guilty of misconduct. “It is not okay to take advantage of one’s position as a public office holder.”

The optics are terrible, Preston continued.

“If the general public knew that police officers, who receive a good salary based on their tax dollars, were continually receiving free meals while on duty in uniform, regardless of their familiarity with the owner, their behaviour would bring discredit to the organization and impact the reputation within the community,” she ruled.

It wasn’t the first time Uppal was disciplined for failing to pay what he owed. In 2011, a salon owner complained to police that he got into a dispute about the price of his haircut and left without paying.

For a guy who’s earned more than $100,000 a year since at least 2010, it’s time this cop learned how to dig into his own wallet.

Read Mandel Wednesday through Saturday

MMandel@postmedia.com