Disciplinary listening to officer Supt. Chris Rheaume mentioned the “public curiosity” was a consider his resolution, as Brisebois’s fees have “eroded public belief,” and “strained” the popularity of the Ottawa Police Service.
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An Ottawa police officer who wielded a knife in a 2020 home dispute whereas threatening to kill his ex has been demoted for 2 years regardless of requires his dismissal from the power by advocates for victims of home violence.
Const. Yourik Brisebois, 43, pleaded responsible to 2 counts of discreditable conduct laid beneath Ontario’s Police Providers Act. The disciplinary course of got here after he had been discovered responsible earlier this 12 months of uttering demise threats to a girl and possessing a kitchen knife for the aim of committing an offence. A choose then granted Brisebois, a detective with the Ottawa Police Service’s baby exploitation unit, a conditional discharge, that means he’ll serve no jail time and may have no legal document if he abides by circumstances imposed throughout sentencing.
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In a call launched Dec. 11, disciplinary listening to officer Supt. Chris Rheaume sentenced Brisebois to a two-year demotion from First Class Constable to Second Class Constable, agreeing with a joint submission by counsel for Brisebois and the police service.
In accordance with an agreed-upon assertion of details, Brisebois brandished a kitchen knife and mentioned one thing to the impact of, “Are you kidding me? You’re afraid as a result of I’ve a knife. What, you’re enjoying the sufferer now?” and threatened repeatedly to kill the girl. Brisebois later apologized for his behaviour, and the couple broke up shortly thereafter.
Rheaume mentioned “public curiosity” was a consider his resolution, as the fees in opposition to Brisebois had “eroded public belief” and “strained” the popularity of the Ottawa Police Service.
“The peace of mind that law enforcement officials is not going to utter threats or threaten to make use of a weapon in opposition to their partner is crucial to the general public’s belief and confidence in policing,” Rheaume wrote in his resolution. “Cops shouldn’t reply with intimidation or violence in opposition to their partner or common-law companion. Cops should all the time conduct themselves professionally, whether or not on responsibility or off responsibility.”
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He added the severity of Brisebois’s misconduct was aggravated by the truth that Brisebois had been a police officer for nearly 20 years on the time of the incident and labored as a detective within the power’s home violence unit.
Moreover, Brisebois ought to have used higher judgment, Rheaume wrote.
Earlier this fall, a joint letter signed by greater than a dozen home violence organizations known as for Brisebois to be fired, saying his continued employment “grossly undermines the service’s tasks as an employer, a neighborhood companion with a excessive diploma of authority and energy, and a service meant to intervene in instances of intimate companion violence.”
On Friday, Yamikani Msosa, govt director of the Ottawa Coalition to Finish Violence In opposition to Ladies and a signatory of the letter, mentioned the disciplinary resolution confirmed an absence of accountability.
“Time and time once more we will’t simply take a look at police and carceral techniques for accountability,” she mentioned. “As a result of time and time once more they fail.”
She famous the letter additionally known as for these home violence instances investigated by Brisebois to be reviewed by gender-based violence advocates.
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“We acknowledge the OPS is attempting to be accountable with the demotion and inside overview, however, once more, it doesn’t fall according to our asks,” Msosa mentioned.
The letter to town’s police chief, mayor and council on Oct. 30 additionally mentioned failures of how intimate companion violence and violence in opposition to ladies had been dealt with remained “a long-standing situation that must be addressed” throughout the Ottawa Police Service and the legal justice system broadly.
“There are well-established danger elements that may predict whether or not an abuser will go on to perpetrate additional abuse or femicide,” the letter learn. “Police needs to be well-versed in these danger elements.”
Matthew Cox, President of the Ottawa Police Affiliation mentioned Brisebois had accepted duty for his actions.
In a press release, he mentioned the Ottawa Police Affiliation “doesn’t condone this habits and is happy Constable Brisebois took duty pleading responsible with an agreed assertion of details and joint penalty of 24-month demotion to second class Constable.”
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