Deputy police chief accused of soliciting info about alleged misconduct

New misconduct charges against an Ottawa police deputy chief stem from his alleged attempt to bargain away a Durham police officer's own charges in exchange for information, including that "of a sexual nature," about senior leaders on the force.

As CBC Ottawa first reported, Deputy Chief Uday Jaswal is charged with two counts of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act over allegations of misconduct that surfaced in Durham, where he also served as deputy chief.

According to the charge documents served to Jaswal on April 19, it's alleged that he attempted to negotiate with a female Durham police officer who was herself facing disciplinary charges.

While the events are related to his former role as deputy chief in Durham, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) alleges Jaswal attended a backroom meeting after he took the post as the Ottawa Police Service's (OPS) second in command.

Meeting at coffee shop

Jaswal met with the woman at a coffee shop in August 2018, after she'd been charged by the Durham Regional Police Service, according to the OCPC. At the meeting, he allegedly tried asking the woman about alleged misconduct by other officers.

Jaswal took the Ottawa police job in September 2018, but returned to Durham the following month to try to resolve the woman's disciplinary case, OCPC alleges.

Along with a lawyer from the Durham force's legal team, Jaswal attended a meeting with the woman's lawyer, where he offered to take care of the woman's charges through "informal resolution," provided the woman offered up useful information.

"Deputy Chief Jaswal acted in a manner prejudicial to discipline by offering to bargain away serious disciplinary charges for information about senior leaders which were unrelated to (the woman's) charges when the service had a duty to hold a hearing into a serious matter," according to the charge documents.

Charged in Ottawa

Jaswal is now charged with eight counts of misconduct. 

Jaswal was charged in 2020 with six counts of misconduct — three counts of discreditable conduct and three counts of insubordination — for allegedly sexually harassing three female OPS employees. Those charges are currently being tried at a disciplinary hearing that began in April.

Jaswal was suspended with pay by the Ottawa Police Services Board in March 2020, when the first disciplinary charges against him were laid.

Jaswal's lawyer Ari Goldkind said last week his client "remains concerned that the OCPC continues to demonstrate a lack of impartiality and fairness. The OCPC continues to be his investigator, his prosecutor, his judge and his jury."

Jaswal's disciplinary hearing for the Ottawa charges is scheduled to resume in May.