News Release
Ottawa Police Service Officer Charged
Case Number: 10-OSA-251
Other News Releases Related to Case 10-OSA-251
Mississauga (15 March, 2011) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that an officer with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest and detention of Stacy Bonds in Ottawa on
September 6, 2008. Sergeant Steven Desjourdy has this morning been charged with sexual assault contrary to section 271 of the Criminal Code.
On September 6, 2008, Ms. Bonds was arrested for a liquor offence by members of the OPS and taken into custody. She was subsequently charged with assaulting a peace officer. She was taken into police custody and subjected to a search that was captured on video tape. Her charge came before the Ottawa courts in October 2010 in a trial presided over by The Honourable Mr. Justice Richard Lajoie of the Ontario Court of Justice.
On October 27, 2010, Mr. Justice Lajoie stayed the proceedings against Ms. Bonds and made comments regarding the conduct of certain OPS officers during Ms. Bonds’ time in police custody. On November 17, 2010, Mr. Justice Lajoie’s ruling was released to the public. On the basis of this information, the SIU conducted an investigation probing the circumstances surrounding this incident.
The charge against Sergeant Desjourdy results from this investigation. The officer is required to appear on April 12, 2011, before the Ontario Court of Justice , 161 Elgin Street, Ottawa. The Justice Prosecutions branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General will have carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the charged officer and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation. Other aspects of the incident outside of the jurisdiction of the SIU have been referred to the Ottawa Police Service.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations