TORONTO

What if the roles were reversed and the guy who was killed by a police officer was the one accused of doing the killing?

Had alleged murder victim Eric Osawe been charged with murdering Const. David Cavanaugh, would the Crown have consented to bail without any time in custody?

Would he have been aided by court staff in dodging media attention in three different court houses?

Would they have taken him in and out of a back door and through a parking garage so no one could see him or get a fresh picture?

Would a suspect be permitted to move in and out of the court with a police escort?

Would it have been a situation where the media were so confused about the time he was scheduled to appear to face his upgraded charge from manslaughter to second-degree murder, they actually missed it?

The hearing was scheduled for 2 p.m. It happened in a much quieter special hearing at 12:45 p.m.

Welcome to the Blue Wall of justice.

It’s a private club where membership has its rewards.

And veteran copper Cavanaugh is a card-carrying member who has in the past not only done his job well as a member of the prestigious Emergency Task Force, was one of the arresting officers in the Jane Creba case.

He’s been a hero who has done the service and city proud.

And now he’s the first Toronto copper ever to be charged with murder while on duty.

Known as a “terrific police officer” by several who have worked with him, Cavanaugh will have his day in court.

Toronto Police recently have had many members before the courts. They range from those facing G20 brutality allegations, to threatening to use a stun gun on a suspect’s genitalia to assaulting homeless people or people in custody. Then there were allegations of internal sexual harassment to an investigation into claims that the head of the RIDE program was impaired at work.

This is all on top of those officers under an internal probe for non-sanctioned selling of $75,000 of memorial T-shirts for slain Sgt. Ryan Russell to hard feelings about mental health patients dying at the hands of police.

But it’s actually police who feel they are being unfairly targeted.

“Our membership and our police officers have, quite frankly, lost faith and confidence in the process and the system, whether it’s the SIU or the Crown’s office who recommended these charges,” said Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack.

Statistics show, however, that the SIU have cleared 96% of their last 800 investigations in Ontario. In 2011 in Ontario eight officers were charged in 199 investigations.

It’s special justice when police officers are investigated and it’s extra special when they are charged.

Police loathe either.

McCormack called the upgrade to murder “insulting to all the police officers in this city” and “way over the top.”

Time will tell if he’s right— perhaps lots of time since when a police officers faces justice, it’s often justice delayed.

The TPA has deep pockets, paid for by brothers and sisters in arms, to hire top lawyers like Peter Brauti, Calvin Barry, Harry Black or Gary Clewley.

And history has shown cases can take more than a decade to go to trial — with officers being paid the whole time.

If convictions do come about there’s rarely jail time served.

“When a police officer is before the courts they are treated with kid gloves,” said veteran defence lawyer Julian Falconer who represents the family of the 26-year-old allegedly slain man, who was “shot in the back” at an Etobicoke apartment complex in 2010 after a gun seizure project by police.

Falconer said he does not blame Justice Ian Nordheimer who “had this thrown before his bench at last minute” but wonders if court security and administration were facilitating a “double standard” that puts at risk “accountability” and the perception of impartiality.

“This accused should be treated no worse or no better than any accused,” said Falconer. “The administration of justice is supposed to create the impression the are no special deals.”

Certainly the alleged murder victim here, or his two fatherless children, didn’t receive any.