Ottawa Police Service — Sheep in sheep’s clothing

 The Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) has received multiple complaints about harassment and misogyny against female officers and employees on the force for over a decade. On July 8, 2020 Ottawa police officer Carl Keenan was found guilty in a Gatineau court of assault causing bodily harm in relation to

Best of Ottawa 2020: Activists and changemakers

 ?After over 20-years writing about life in Ottawa, we think we have a pretty good idea of the best of what this city has to offer. In this weekly series, we share our picks with you — our top hotels, live music venues, local brews, bands and more. Check, share and discuss

Canada needs guardian police not warrior police

 ABOVE: Commissioner of the RCMP Brenda Lucki and Alberta Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki both said that there was no racism in policing in Canada until the Prime Minister stated there was. Twenty-four hours later, both officers exclaimed that indeed there was racism. ABOVE RIGHT: Chief Allen Adam being assaulted by the Alberta

Ottawa man left destitute after faulty police investigation

 If you Google ‘police misconduct in Ottawa’ it is clear that the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has a problem. From the high-profile death of Somali-Canadian Abdirahman Abdi at the hands of two Ottawa Police Officers in July 2016, to Constable Jason Mallette who faced a dozen charges of misconduct in

Halifax Police Chief Dan Kinsella is proof a fish rots from the head down

 On November 29, 2019, just two months ago, Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella (pictured above) appeared at a resplendent podium emblazoned with the Halifax Police Coat of arms. He was dressed in police formal attire with a bunch of self-aggrandizing medals to give what spinmeisters described as an historic apology

Ottawa Police Are Their Own Worst Enemy

 Photo credit: Perth Photography via flickr In early May, the Ottawa Police were called to Tillbury Park on Sherbourne Road to break up a fight between students from Notre Dame High School and nearby Nepean High School. The fight, which involved more than 40 youth, was captured on video and

Are Ottawa taxpayers getting value for money from the OPS?

 Photo credit: Michael Burns It is absolutely preposterous for the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) to be seeking an increase in their budget in excess of five percent from the taxpayers of this City. It is sheer lunacy for the City Council to even entertain such a proposal. Now don’t get me wrong. If

Public perceptions surrounding Abdirahman Abdi’s fatal encounter with Ottawa Police

 Constable Daniel Montsion’s judge-only trial for the death of Abdirahman Abdi resumes today after being postponed just three days in due to a “doctored” surveillance video. The Ottawa police officer was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon following a fatal altercation with 37-year-old Abdirahman Abdi outside

The Top 25 People in the Capital: 21-25

 Photo by Valerie Keeler This year we teamed up with Crusoe, the Celebrity Dachshund, to sniff out the top dogs in the city that are actually people. Crusoe got his game face on and scouted out Ottawans that are the ones to watch. They are the best that the capital has

Protesters Gather at U.S. Embassy with Clear Message: Racism Is Not Welcome Here

 Photos by Andre Gagne Yesterday afternoon hundreds gathered on the steps by the U.S. Embassy, their message ringing out louder and clear over the carillon bells of the Peace Tower: “love trumps hate”. Racism would not be tolerated here. With divisive racial tensions mounting in the United States –and on the

Why haven’t the OPS constables who assaulted Roxanne Carr been charged?

 There are a lot of good police in this country. That is a fact. But there are also a lot of bad ones and the growing phenomena of the preponderance of police brutality and frankly, stupidity in Canada are reaching critical proportions. In Ontario, we have a weak kneed, wishy-washy

CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG Ep. 5: “Show Some Respect-Cut The Bracelets”

 Dan Donovan, Publisher and Managing Editor of Ottawa Life Magazine, speaks on the Ottawa Police Force bracelet controversy.

Yasir Naqvi Still Refusing to Answer Questions About His Role in Release of Montsion Without a Bail Hearing

 Attorney General and Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi is still refusing to answer questions regarding his role in the release of Ottawa Police Constable Daniel Montsion on manslaughter charges. Montsion was released March 6 without having to appear in court first before a bail judge. Naqvi's office contacted both Carleton

Ottawa Life Magazine Calls for Release of Abdirahman Video to Ensure Police Are Held to Account

 Ottawa Life Magazine Managing Editor Dan Donovan is calling for the immediate release of the Abdirahman Video to restore public confidence in Abdirahman case and to ensure Police Are held to account. The magazine's continuing investigation into the actions of the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) and the Attorney General

OPSB Chair Eli El-Chantiry Seeks “Correction” on Abdiraman Story – Ottawa Life Magazine Refuses

 The Chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board sent a formal request today to Ottawa Life Magazine Publisher and Managing Editor Dan Donovan and Carleton University Criminology Professor Darryl Davies seeking a correction a story yesterday related to the violent killing of Abdirahman Abdi by Constable Daniel Montsion:  Good afternoon

Criminology expert Darryl Davies accuses Attorney General Yasir Naqvi of corruption

 Carleton University Criminology Professor and Police procedural expert Darryl Davies has written a strongly worded letter to Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi, accusing him and others responsible for enforcing Ontario's Laws of corruption. Davies letter was copied to Ottawa Life Magazine and several other media outlets, after CBC reported yesterday

SIU’s delay on Abdi report shows our unequal justice system

 By Darryl Davies When English novelist, essayist and critic George Orwell wrote that “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” he could have been referring to some people in the justice system and the way that system protects police officers from criminal liability in Ontario.

Something is Really, Really Wrong in Ontario

 A creeping arrogance and sense of entitlement has seeped its way into the depths of the Government of Ontario. At a fundamental level, they do not seem to understand the value of a taxpayer’s dollar. Ontario is 315 billion dollars in debt, and is paying a billion dollars a month

Criminology expert Darryl Davies calls on city to do something about Police Association president’s actions

 Dear Mr. Egli, The latest instalment of policing chaos in this city comes at the hands of Matt Skof, the President of the Ottawa Police Association. It's beyond belief that Matt Skof would post a video to YouTube and publicly call Charles Bordeleau, the Ottawa Chief of Police, a liar without

The Ottawa Police: A Police Service in Crisis

 The recent death of Abdirahman Abdi by two Ottawa Police officers is a huge stain on the City of Ottawa. Why is it that the Ottawa Police were not able to arrest an unarmed man without killing him?  There is no logical or rational explanation to account for this man’s