Two Toronto police constables have been charged with neglect of duty and insubordination under the provincial Police Services Act regarding allegations they did not conduct a proper search for homicide victim Tess Richey when she was first reported missing.

Tess Richey was last seen in the area of Church and Dundonald streets at around 3 a.m. on Nov. 25, 2017 and she was reported missing the same day.

After her disappearance, her sister said in an online post that the 22-year-old woman had gone out during the evening on Nov. 24 and never returned home.

At 3:45 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2017, police constables Michael Jones and Alan McCullough were on shift patrolling the 51 Division area, which includes the Village.

They received a radio call to report to an address in the Church and Dundonald streets to conduct a search for Richey.

Police administrators allege the pair “learned at this location” that it was the last place Richey was seen.

Richey’s body was not located that day. Instead, Richey’s mother Christine Heremeston, who had travelled to the city on Nov. 29, found her body at the bottom of an outdoor stairwell at 582 Church Street.

Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said he is surprised the officers have been brought before a tribunal.

“They were not involved in the initial missing persons occurrence  – they were involved in a check address call. These are both very fine experienced officers and we believe they did nothing wrong,” McCormack told CP24.

He added the police union will defend the officers vigorously.

Investigators allege the stairwell where Richey’s body was found is “40 linear metres northeast” of the address where the officers were called to originally.

Jones and McCullough are accused of not searching the immediate area thoroughly, not canvassing the neighbours around the property, and not informing their supervisor of the details of the call.

Administrators allege the pair’s conduct contravened Toronto police standard procedure concerning missing person’s cases.

McCormack challenged this characterization, saying the officers were called to check only one specific address and went above and beyond what is expected in those circumstances.

“They didn’t only check that address, they checked other some adjoining addresses – and they also looked in the area which is above and beyond what a check address call is.

He suggested other officers were specifically tasked with searching for Richey on that day.

After Richey’s body was recovered, police initially said her death was not suspicious, but an autopsy found her cause of death to be neck compression, meaning Richey was deliberately killed.

On Feb. 4, 2018, a suspect identified as Kalen Schlatter was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, which was upgraded in March to first-degree murder.

Tess’ older sister Varina said Tuesday that it was clear to her that the case was not handled properly at first.

“It was obvious that something had gone terribly wrong when my mom had to find Tess where she did and then we had to deal with the subsequent allegations surrounding her death,” Varina told CTV News Toronto.

She said that homicide detectives were “fantastic” when they took over the case.

“With this news it seems they are trying to identify failings so no other family will have to go through what mine did when the absolute worst happens.”

Police spokesperson Mark Pugash told CP24 the hearings for constables Jones and McCullough will not move forward until the murder trial is complete.

McCormack said both officers remain on duty.