Thread by @judyatrinh

Thread:
I'm worried that the Ottawa Police is tearing itself apart.
There is a disgusting video circulating that likens OPS Chief Peter Sloly to Hitler, because of his comments on systemic racism. 👇The video is offensive and beyond the pale
google.com/search?client=…

I'm not going to link to the video - but it compares Sloly's handling of a racist meme to Hitler's last days in power. How can anyone think it is reasonable or even funny to compare a racist meme to a genocidal regime? cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

I don't know who created the video. But it does seem to be someone in the service. The Ottawa Police Service from the executives, to Superintendents, inspectors, staff sgt., sgt. to constables need to condemn this. So does the board. This crosses the line.

You should know that I am old. I have been in Ottawa since 1999. I've interviewed Chiefs Bevan, White, Bordeleau and Sloly. And despite hearing plenty of criticism from rank and file over the years - I have never seen this level of toxicity/ hate boil over into the open

Former Chief Bordeleau was often criticized internally for pushing gender and racial diversity - but he was never called a Nazi. In the past few years, OPS has been forced by the Human Rights commission to diversify, the old (white) guard don't like 👇it.cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

The gist of the video implies that Chief Sloly has ignored misconduct of BIPOC officers, while criticizing OPS members of racist behaviour for the meme, for what's perceived as legitimate traffic stops. But it crosses the line.

Recently we've learned that Chief Sloly was slow to suspend a Black officer accused of sexually assaulting another officer. That's a legitimate concern-but the membership in the past, hasn't been so openly critical of other cases involving women google.com/search?client=…

In 2000, a White constable was found guilty of assault after slamming a woman's head into a squad car while she was handcuffed. For that the constable got 75 hours of community service. He's still with OPS. Chief Bevan said he couldn't fire him.

Then in 2008 - a White Sgt in the cell block, cut off a Black woman's bra and shirt left her in her cell for hours. That case wasn't resolved until 2013. He also hogtied another woman. He was found not guilty of sex assault, but docked 20 days pay. He's also still with OPS

Of course police officers regardless of colour should be disciplined/ punished in a timely manner and held accountable. But do I also think there is systemic racism in the Ottawa Police Service. Yes - like there is in every organization, including my own.

Racism is not just something that's happening in the United States. Our inability to acknowledge that it occurs in Canada, isolates minorities within our own organizations.
The Ottawa Police need to address this immediately because it is once again a matter of trust.

There are about 10 active human rights complaints against the Ottawa Police Service right now. A couple have been resolved from minority officers who alleged racial discrimination.
Here's a case from a constable
google.com/search?client=…
And an inspector
google.com/search?client=…

Each officer within the Ottawa Police need to acknowledge their own biases if they want the community to trust them and rely on them for safety. Ottawa is a city of BIPOC, immigrants, of refugees, of women, girls and boys.

Last week Ottawa Police Assoc. President pushed back on assertion that there was systemic racism within the force. That the officer should have been “supported”
No one to my knowledge got disciplined for the stop. Watch the interview be/ @CBCAdrianH
google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.…

Here is Matt Skof in a longer radio interview w/ Leslie Roberts on the same issue.

iheartradio.ca/580-cfra/podca…

And yesterday this was released. The Ottawa Police Service Veterans Association in support of @OTTAWAPAca
“Racist behaviour does not run rampant through the membership.”
Openly distance yourself from the video.
Call it out then.