Advocates want officer fired for threatening to kill his ex
Ben Andrews | CBC News | Posted: October 31, 2023 3:39 PM | Last Updated: October 31, 2023
Const. Yourik Brisebois guilty of criminal and Police Services Act charges
UPDATE: On Dec. 11, 2023, Const. Yourik Brisebois was sentenced to a two-year demotion from first-class constable to second-class constable.
More than a dozen women's advocacy groups have signed a letter that says the Ottawa Police Service is betraying public trust by continuing to employ an officer who threatened to kill his ex and wielded a knife during an argument.
Const. Yourik Brisebois, 43, pleaded guilty to two counts of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act last week. He was previously found guilty of criminal charges.
"There's a deep systemic issue when it comes to gender-based violence at the hands of police officers — and the level of impunity that then accompanies that," said Yamikani Msosa, executive director of the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, which co-signed the letter.
"This is not the first, and likely won't be the last, that we hear of."
Others to sign include Counselling and Family Service Ottawa and women's domestic abuse shelter Interval House.
On and off work
Brisebois was suspended with pay from August 2020 to February 2022 after the woman involved, whose identity is covered by a publication ban, reported the incident to police a few days after it happened.
Suspensions without pay are not allowed in Ontario until after an officer has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment.
Brisebois was then brought back to work before he was found guilty in March of both criminal charges against him — knowingly uttering a threat to cause death and possessing a knife for the purpose of committing an offence.
He was given a conditional discharge, meaning he'll have no criminal record if he abides by the terms of a three-year probation order.
He must not contact the victim, nor possess any weapons except those required for policing and only during work hours, and must attend and actively participate in any programs he was ordered to complete, among other conditions.
Several months later, police disiplinary charges were laid against him. He remained on active duty.
In his disciplinary hearing, Brisebois pleaded guilty to two counts of discreditable conduct. The police prosecutor and Brisebois's representative jointly proposed a two-year demotion.
"With the proper support, there is no reason to believe that he is no longer useful as a police officer," prosecutor Vanessa Stewart said at the hearing.
The hearing officer said he would take about a month to decide on the penalty.
Proposed discipline not enough, advocates say
In the letter, advocacy groups argue Brisebois' continued employment with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) "grossly undermines the service's responsibilities as an employer."
"Allowing an officer with a conviction for such serious offenses to remain on the force erodes public trust, endangers victims, particularly the victim of his crimes, and sends a disheartening message to our community," the letter reads.
It calls on OPS to dismiss Brisebois and to make cases involving him available for review. It also calls on the city to redirect resources from policing into community-based support and services.
In an email, a police spokesperson said OPS will not comment on the matter until a decision on the penalty.
"The Service continues to work with community partners to address all incidents of violence against women in our community," the spokesperson said.