One thread I've been following in #PEOC is the bizarre sub-plot about why leadership at Ottawa Police weren't getting OPP intelligence reports.
Interim Chief Bell's witness statement provides additional details about what happened 🧵
Interim Chief Bell's witness statement provides additional details about what happened 🧵
Bell says Supt. Mark Patterson, head of intelligence for Ottawa Police was of the “view that intelligence information be kept within the Intelligence Directorate.”
Bell claims he disagreed with this view and “specifically challenged” Patterson’s views on intelligence sharing.
Bell claims he disagreed with this view and “specifically challenged” Patterson’s views on intelligence sharing.
Bell claims Ottawa Police’s intelligence led them to believe it would be a “peaceful protest.”
(OPP intelligence warned the convoy could pose a “public safety threat”).
Bell believed convoy would be like the Indian farmer protests or protests against Sri Lankan Civil War, etc.
(OPP intelligence warned the convoy could pose a “public safety threat”).
Bell believed convoy would be like the Indian farmer protests or protests against Sri Lankan Civil War, etc.
Bell received no intelligence indicating “the Freedom Convoy’s impact on Ottawa communities would be severe, or that the convoy participants would use Ottawa communities as a leverage point to achieve their objectives.”
(OPP intelligence warned the convoy planned to stay).
(OPP intelligence warned the convoy planned to stay).
Bell characterizes the OPP intelligence reports as OPS' “most important source of intelligence on the Freedom Convoy.”
Says he learned of their existence only 4 days before the convoy arrived. He did not inform Sloly of them until Jan 27 (claims Sloly received them since Jan 13)
Says he learned of their existence only 4 days before the convoy arrived. He did not inform Sloly of them until Jan 27 (claims Sloly received them since Jan 13)
Bell says he did not think the head of intelligence for Ottawa Police had been receiving OPP intelligence reports in early January (they’d been sending them for nearly two years).
The head of intelligence started receiving them on Jan 13.
The head of intelligence started receiving them on Jan 13.
Bell says he did not personally attend briefings on what OPP intelligence was finding about the convoy, but members of the Ottawa Police intelligence unit did.
Bell says he “broadly expanded access” to the OPP intelligence reports “once he learned of the reports’ existence.”
Bell says he “broadly expanded access” to the OPP intelligence reports “once he learned of the reports’ existence.”
Despite OPS’ intelligence suggesting they were dealing with a “peaceful protest,” Chief Sloly forwarded an email 2 days before the convoy arrived from an Ottawa resident warning of ”extreme right wing elements calling for violence.”
Sloly requested a review of all intelligence.
Sloly requested a review of all intelligence.
Bell says Ottawa Police expected “3,000-4,000 vehicles to arrive in Ottawa.”
Bell said they understood the convoy consisted of “8-10 different groups representing 50-100 different political agenda,” but some were “well-organized” and planned to set-up a “war room” in Ottawa.
Bell said they understood the convoy consisted of “8-10 different groups representing 50-100 different political agenda,” but some were “well-organized” and planned to set-up a “war room” in Ottawa.
Bell says Ottawa Police were aware of intelligence indicating convoy vehicles from Western Canada planned to “stay for a long period of time.”
But Ottawa Police believed all other participants would “depart at the end of the weekend.”
(They did not depart.)
But Ottawa Police believed all other participants would “depart at the end of the weekend.”
(They did not depart.)
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