(Ottawa) The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Professional Standards Section investigation into an incident on Clarence Street on September 6, 2013 has found there is no evidence to pursue Police Services Act or any other charges against the officers involved.
In the incident, the officers responded to a disturbance at a Clarence Street nightclub where several men were reported to be fighting with door staff.
“The investigation included the review of statements by witnesses, the individuals and the officers involved and the examination of other evidence including videos,†said Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau. “I am satisfied that the officers involved conducted themselves appropriately given the situation they were in.â€
“Criminal charges remain against two individuals and the matter is still before the courts. As such, the OPS is limited in what it can discuss,†said Bordeleau.
On September 7, a video of the arrests that showed an OPS officer using several distraction strikes on an individual while executing an arrest was made available on the Internet. That video, and other evidence, were reviewed by internal use of force experts as well as an external use of force expert at the Ontario Police College.
The officer first attempted to de-escalate the situation by using tactical communication, however, when a physical attack on the officer commenced, the officer used distracting hand strikes to gain compliance and allow for the individual to be handcuffed. The experts agreed that these actions are consistent with training and defensive tactics.
The individual in the video did not sustain injuries as a result of the arrest by OPS.
“I am aware of the importance of reporting back to the community in a timely manner on this incident,†said Chief Bordeleau. “This matter speaks to the dangerous and violent encounters our officers can face while on the job. In this case, training was used to bring a safe and controlled end to a difficult situation.â€