TBay Police Const. Rob Steudle pleads guilty to discredible conduct.
Steudle published a number of comments to Facebook in September 2016 including this one, in response to a letter to the editor Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler penned in the Chronicle Journal.
Steudle published a number of comments to Facebook in September 2016 including this one, in response to a letter to the editor Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler penned in the Chronicle Journal.
Legal counsel for Steudle and TBay Police presented joint statement of facts before the Police Services Act disciplinary proceedings.
Both sides agreed five days without pay (40 hours) would be suitable recourse, considering precedent cases.
No decision has yet been made.
Both sides agreed five days without pay (40 hours) would be suitable recourse, considering precedent cases.
No decision has yet been made.
Steudle had been regarded as exemplary, having never faced disciplinary action in over 30 years with the service. He has received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, served on the police association executive, and coached St. Patrick's High School football football team.
The incident followed a CBC story in which a facilitator using the Walk A Mile film claimed officers were "disruptive and dismissive" during cultural sensitivity training.
cbc.ca/news/canada/th…
cbc.ca/news/canada/th…
The Chronicle Journal printed this editorial quoting TBay city clerk John Hannam and police chief JP Levesque, alleging the CBC piece had misrepresented the facts.
chroniclejournal.com/opinion/editor…
chroniclejournal.com/opinion/editor…
In response, Fiddler issued this short letter to the Chronicle Journal's editor, reading simply, "The only thing worse than the conduct of Thunder Bay Police officers as reported by the CBC is the attempt by the police, and this newspaper, to justify it."
chroniclejournal.com/opinion/letter…
chroniclejournal.com/opinion/letter…
Steudle's counsel, Joanne Mulcahy presented her client's deep regret for having posted the statement, she presented a context that social media users and Fiddler's letter provoked Steudle. 1/2
“My submission here is not to be taken as a criticism but it provides some context that Const. Steudle felt the letter to the editor was provocative and he responded to that. It doesn’t justify his conduct but it’s important that there was provocative conduct.” 2/2
This story TVO published the following July touches on this episode within a larger context of the strain on the relationship between the Thunder Bay Police, city hall, and the Indigenous community.
tvo.org/article/curren…
tvo.org/article/curren…
