Councillor David Hill Wants Action on Vehicle Theft and Fakirani Voted Head of OPSB

 During a longer-than-usual Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) meeting yesterday, the board, once again, was tasked with selecting a new chair. Since 2022, the body that governs the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has had no fewer than three appointed chairs, including former Councillor Diane Deans, former chair Councillor Eli El-Chantiry,

Former RCMP officer calls for detailed internal autopsy of OPS

 by Calvin Lawrence, Retired RCMP officer (Photo: Jean-Marc Carisse) Many Canadians believed the January 6, 2021, turmoil they saw in the U.S. could not happen here. But now, after the trucker's protest over vaccines and Covid restrictions, we know that it can. In democratic societies, including Canada, there is an orderly process in government. Imagine

To restore confidence Solicitor General must amend police services act

 ABOVE: Ontario Solicitor General Syliva Jones and Zoom image of February 2022 Ottawa Police Service Board meeting. Anyone who witnessed the February 2022 total collapse of the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) must have reached the ineluctable conclusion that the time has come to disband police services boards in the province of Ontario.

Solicitor General was warned but ignored police disfunction in Ottawa

 ABOVE: The Hon. Sylvia Jones (Dufferin—Caledon), Solicitor General of Ontario. (PHOTO: The Peterborough Examiner) Op-Ed: Like many Canadians, I was very shocked at how easy it was for the convoy of truckers to roll into the nation’s capital and occupy the core of the city. Whether one agrees or disagrees with what

Chaos in the capital could have been avoided say experts

 Provincial inquiry should be called into Ottawa Police Service and Chief Peter Sloly’s mishandling of the trucker convoy. The national media are now asking OPS Chief Peter Sloly if he will resign over chaos that has besieged the capital for the past 12 days. There appears to be a classic

Budget season is almost over.

 The municipal budget has dominated the last month of Ottawa City Council committee meetings, but this chapter will be coming to a close on December 8th. There is no triumph of a balanced budget that Mayor Jim Watson was able to proclaim in years previous. This year's budget has shown that hard times

City of Ottawa housing budget should be expanded, not policing

 With 12,000 people on the city waitlist for affordable housing units, Ottawa City Council declared a housing emergency in February 2020, well before anybody knew that a global pandemic would further complicate the situation. The consequences of the initial lockdown were devastating. Adding to the pressure, countless residents lost their jobs. Undoubtedly, economic

NO Chief Sloly, you don’t control the media in Ottawa

 The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) currently has 18 officers who have been SUSPENDED with FULL PAY and BENEFITS despite facing allegations of serious misconduct and/or criminal charges. The charges relate to serious crimes including allegations of rape, sexual misconduct, fraud, theft, and drug charges. Many citizens in Ottawa are victims of

Who are the Ottawa Police serving and protecting?

 Last week, we heard that the Ottawa Police wouldn’t implement a vaccine policy for their officers. Their reason for this was due to a fear of losing frontline staff. Soon after the announcement, there was public outrage, including from the mayor. On Friday afternoon, Chief Peter Sloly announced a reversal

Ottawa Police Service incompetence results in tragic death of Bane the puppy

 Bane, a nine-month-old puppy, succumbed on 20 January to the indifference of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS). On three separate occasions neighbours frantically called the 911 operator to report the puppy’s distress and to offer recordings of the screams as supporting evidence of animal cruelty. The OPS dispatched officers to

Is it time to reinvent policing? Edmonton Chief of Police Dale McFee thinks so.

 The numbers tell the story. A report published in August 2020 by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) found that while Black people comprise 8.8 per cent of Toronto’s overall population, they represent almost 32 per cent of people charged by Toronto police. The numbers are based on the Toronto

Rapes and lies—the cancerous misconduct at the Ottawa Police Service

 The Ottawa Police Service Board members are accessories to the rape culture at the OPS. Ottawa Life Magazine has been writing about the serious problems in policing in Ottawa and across Canada with police misconduct, police recruiting, police training and police oversight for over a decade. Over the past several

It’s time for brain over brawn in policing

 As a result of some very disturbing incidents involving the use of force by the RCMP Bill Blair, the Minister of Public Safety, has been tasked with examining the standards and protocols involving police and the use of force. Part of the dilemma is that police officers are inadequately trained when

“Cop Connects”— Tow truck drivers allege more Police involved in scam

 ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): Constable Andrew Chronopoulos, veteran Constable Hussein Assad and Constable Kevin Putinsky. On April 23, 2020 three Ottawa Police Service (OPS) officers were charged by the RCMP with breach of trust in relation to an alleged tow truck kick-back scheme in Ottawa. Constable Andrew Chronopoulos, veteran Constable Hussein

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

Attorney General must investigate misogyny at Ottawa Police

 Pictured above: Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly and acting Deputy Chief Joan McKenna The Attorney General of Ontario should immediately step-in and override Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly and the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) decision to not call in an independent police agency to investigate criminal misconduct in the highest ranks

Oversight and temperament problems at Ottawa Police Service

 Above: Ottawa Police Chief, Peter Sloly I am not sure which is more troubling, the ongoing failure of the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) to properly adjudicate their responsibilities over the Ottawa Police Services (OPS) or the continuing systemic and structural problems at the force. These include flawed leadership, racism,

Ottawa Police Services Crisis: The Cart Pulling the Horse

 Ottawa Life Magazine has been writing about the problems with the Ottawa Police for the past five years. In 2011, we said that Councillor and Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Board Chair Eli El-Chantiry should resign over his all too cozy relationship with then Police Chief Vern White. El-Chantiry saw no

A New Paradise On Stage

 Actors rehearsing for the new 'Paradise' play.  Ottawa lawyers continue their fight for social justice outside the courtroom. Turning from the podium to a stage, members of the local legal community are coming together through theatre to raise money for The Ottawa Mission. Officers and civilians at the Ottawa Police