The Ontario Civilian Police Commission has announced that Thunder Bay Police Chief Sylvie Hauth will face hearings for misconduct hours after she announced her upcoming retirement.
THUNDER BAY – Police Chief Sylvie Hauth will face hearings for alleged misconduct, the Ontario Civil Police Commission (OCPC) has announced.
The revelation comes just hours after Hauth announced his intention to retire from June 2023.
He didn’t mention the audiences in that ad, he thought it was unclear if he was aware of it at the time.
Hauth would no longer be subject to Police Services Act hearings when he retires, leaving uncertainty about whether the disciplinary process will have time to conclude before he leaves.
The chief was not available for interview Wednesday, according to a Thunder Bay police service spokesman.
Colin Woods, president of the Thunder Bay Police Association representing grassroots members, said it “seems too coincidental” that the two announcements were made on the same day.
The association has previously expressed concern about the leadership of the force.
The news also raises questions about whether Hauth can continue to hold office for another year until his retirement, Woods said.
The administrator appointed to oversee the police services board will have to seriously assess whether Hauth should be suspended pending the hearing, he said, noting that the TBPS normally assesses whether to suspend officers charged with crimes. of PSA.
“Having a police chief alert you to allegations, that’s pretty serious in my head,” he said.
The OCPC announced its investigation into Hauth and other service leaders in February.
The commission said at the time that it would examine the allegations that Hauth did not take appropriate action to address the actions of now-suspended deputy chief Ryan Hughes, provided “erroneous information” to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board and did not take the appropriate measures to address allegations of misconduct by TBPS members.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the commission said the investigation indicated that a hearing under the PSA was warranted.
The hearing will examine three charges of alleged misconduct.
The first involves Hauth’s role in an investigation the TBPS initiated against police services board member Goerjann Morriseau for breach of trust, related to allegations she shared confidential information with a police officer.
Hauth was aware of this investigation and allowed it to continue, although he acknowledged in a confidential note dated October 12, 2021 to the police services board that “it would not be appropriate for a police service to investigate any of its members. or board members “. according to the information provided by the OCPC.
Hauth should have closed the investigation immediately or transferred him to another police service immediately, the OCPC said.
Finally, the investigation was moved to the OPP, but not until December 17, 2020. Hauth was aware of the investigation at least on November 23, 2020, when suspended Deputy Chief Hughes informed him of the details of the investigation. in an email. , according to evidence presented by the OCPC.
The OPP abandoned the investigation into Morriseau after concluding that his actions had not reached the threshold of a criminal offense.
In a second count, the OCPC alleges that Hauth “tricked or attempted to deceive” the police services board into his knowledge of Morriseau’s investigation.
In the note of October 12, 2021, Hauth made it appear that the board had no knowledge of the investigation until December 9, 2020, weeks after the OCPC alleged that Hughes informed him.
The third count Hauth faces involves a second note he sent to the board on October 18, 2021, clarifying that he had received previous emails from Hughes. The second note was sent only after Hughes asked Hauth to clarify the schedule to the board to indicate that he had informed him of the investigation, according to the OCPC statement of facts.
However, the OCPC accuses Hauth of continuing to deceive the board about his knowledge of other aspects of the investigation, such as when a production order would be placed on Morriseau’s phone.