Ottawa Police Under Spotlight

The Ottawa Police are under the spotlight regarding the timing of a recent hiring and the death of an Ottawa man that involved the police. The situation has not only strained relations between the Somali community and the police but has also raised questions regarding hiring practices.

Although most of us will never know all the reasons behind the hiring decisions made by Ottawa police Chief Charles Bordeleau, we do know the candidate currently under scrutiny was deemed unsuitable by the background investigator.

The red flags included, not one, but 16 Highway Traffic Act convictions along with "an apparent history of being rude to officers". While the candidate may have the support of others, how can the public have confidence  in someone who appeared to routinely ignore rules of the road accompanied by a tendency to be discourteous? As past performance is often a  good predictor of future behaviour, particularly as it relates to character, how can Chief Bordeleau disregard the investigator's recommendation?

Having a diversified police force is a commendable objective, but not if it is attained by looking the other way for candidates whose past conduct has been less than completely acceptable.