Anti-gender-based-violence agencies in Ottawa are pressing the city's police service for answers about how it handles misconduct within its own ranks. The groups have sent a letter to the police chief and the board, asking for a meeting before the end of the month so their questions can be addressed directly.
Among the questions they want answered is whether complaints about police officers receive any independent oversight. They are also asking which recommendations from previous reviews have actually been enacted, which have not, and what difference any of those measures have made.
The agencies' concerns come amid reports that officers had been searching police databases for information on women they were attracted to. In that context, the groups are pressing the force on how it intends to protect the privacy of survivors who come forward.
The leaders behind the letter say they want a comprehensive, measurable and transparent approach to ending gender-based misconduct at the force. They are framing the request not as a single fix but as an accountability process that can be tracked over time.
Central to their message is the idea that trust has to be rebuilt with the people most affected. They argue that public trust cannot be restored unless survivors, their agencies and other community groups are consulted as part of any reform effort.
The letter to the police chief and board was sent earlier this week. It sets up a direct ask to leadership ahead of a scheduled public moment for the force, putting the issue in front of decision-makers before that appearance.
On Monday, the chief and other police leaders are set to appear before the Ottawa Police Service Board. They are expected to give a public update on the force's latest review of its safe workplace policies and processes, which is the fifth such review in ten years.