More Money For What, Police Chief Stubbs? WHOPPER WATCH

Published 04/10/2024 · Updated 04/10/2024

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“Calls for service are continuing to rise, crime is more complex, demonstrations have become more disruptive, and the OPS is not able to keep up with current demand. Historical growth in the OPS’ complement has not kept up with Ottawa’s expanding population.”

OPS Chief Eric Stubbs on hiring 32 officers in the first quarter of 2024

Why don’t we just take $3.2 million and pour it down the sewer?

Probably because our brand-spanking-new sewage-storage tunnel would overflow. It’s amazing it doesn’t explode given the amount of waste cascading from Ottawa City Hall and Parliament Hill. So perhaps we should make allowances for the tunnel. Sorry.

All Stubbs is doing is hiring more officers to be acculturated into a sick organization. It might take a bit time for the recruits to tune into the mores of the OPS, but they will get there.

So what you’ll get is the same old crappy police force, just bigger.

And here’s a mighty whopper if there ever were one: “demonstrations have become more disruptive.”

If you are making an argument for more officers, one shouldn’t mention demonstrations. One is reminded of the Freedom Convoy whose OPS response embarrassed Ottawa around the world and made life miserable for good honest law-abiding citizens living downtown. We don’t know all the strategy involved (surprisingly the worst team in baseball history, the early 1960s New York Mets had a strategy … it didn’t work but the team had a strategy) but it appeared to be officers standing around in groups of four laughing; allowing all kinds of things through the so-called police lines; siding with the convoy whose politics coincide with many in the OPS; sending money to support the convoy; flying in the face of the orders of the force and the will of our leaders and the populace; and suspending one officer for a week for supporting the convoy through donations (we hope the officer has recovered from the trauma of that punishment).

Or we could remind the chief of the treatment recently of a good, honest young black man who was committing the heinous crime of walking home from a coffee shop and had the crap kicked out him by the police. The police called it “mistaken identity.” Most people would call it assault. The force won’t apologize but says it “regrets” the situation. Damn right it regrets the situation. No doubt it regrets it even more having talked carefully with their lawyers. No doubt they advised the use of “regret” so as to limit liability.

But that’s pretty hopeless. The young man’s lawyer will no doubt want recompense for his client. And he’ll get it.

“How big is the city budget? Four billion you say? I’ll take that.” Then the lawyer could negotiate from there. Good starting point.

One should remember that the former police chief said the ‘service’ was racist and misogynous. Peter Sloly probably had a pretty good handle on that, he being black and all. And the police, at last word, have adopted a flag deemed racist in many quarters. That might not be the best choice.

Let’s hope the motivation behind the innocent man’s frightening predicament wasn’t: “Hey, let’s beat up a black kid.” If a young man can be picked off the street and have the crap kicked out him, all of us are in jeopardy from this paramilitary organization. Ottawans should be concerned because our politicians aren’t. They keep throwing money at a sick organization when the proper response would be that if the force wants more money, it should show demonstrably and absolutely that the OPS is reforming. But it’s not. And the politicians just want all this to go away. They’ve got to get re-elected.

Thoughtful Ottawans are reminded of the care and coddling Abdirahman Abdi received while in police custody. This is a smart well-meaning community that deserves better than the OPS.

The chief also tells us that his force’s size can’t keep pace with this growing community. Cry me a river. Nobody ever has enough resources. When was the last time one heard the words: “We have too many resources.” And times are tough all over … unless you’re a partner at Lansdowne. Downtown businesses are closing. Businesses in the ByWard Market are closing which we hope the OPS will notice from its new market office in a luxurious shopping mall.

Meanwhile, how do you believe a word the chief says? He reports (in a matter of speaking) to the noversight Ottawa Police Services Board and Stubbs must be very happy about that. The OPSB (which is far too tight with the OPS) has strictly limited the amount of free speech from the public at its meetings and even picks the people who can address it. That situation is before the courts and it is obvious how that outcome will unfold.

If Mayor Mark Sutcliffe really wants to save money on Laurier Avenue, perhaps he could address the province concerning abolishing the OPSB. Surely Sutcliffe can buy a rubber stamp much cheaper at Staples.

All of this is not to say that there aren’t some wonderful people at the OPS. Good people, hard-working people, devoted people, People who you would be proud and honoured to call your friends. I’ve met them. God bless them.

That said, it’s too bad that these exemplary people must work in such a troubled organization.

Ken Gray

The Bulldog once again invites the chief to respond to this post. We made this offer previously but we never heard from him. The Bulldog believes in free speech within the limits of media law and good taste.

We invite the chief to exercise his right to free speech here in this publication.

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