Ottawa police officers break ranks over 'tyrannical' staff sergeant

SomeOttawa police officers are speaking out about a staff sergeant accused of "tyrannical" behaviour, and say neither the force nor their union had their backs when they blew the whistle on the alleged bullyingthey say they suffered while stationed at the Ottawa airport.

Documents obtained by CBC News and signed by 10 members and former members of the airport unit detail their complaints about Staff Sgt. Rene Spirito, who was in charge of the group from 2012 to 2015.

In lengthy emails, the officers portray Spirito's leadership style as "tyrannical" and allege he created a "toxic and unsafe" work environment.They describe Spirito's volatile temper, his habit of openly favouring some officers while publicly demeaningothers, and one incident in which he allegedly unholstered his firearm in the office.

I didn't sign up to be controlled and harassed and manipulated by management. Why would you do that to your own officer?- Const. Kelly Ryan

In a rare departure from a police culture that's often secretive, two constables and a retired officerwho worked under Spiritoare breaking ranks and speaking toCBC.

They say they were punished by the force when they attempted to file a grievance claiming bullying by Spirito, and thenabandoned by their union, the Ottawa Police Association.

"I did nothing wrong,"said Const. Matt Clarke, a 20-year veteran of the Ottawa Police Service."My rights weren't protected at the time."

Sergeant waved gun, officers say

According to the officers' accounts in the emails obtained by CBC,Spirito started making wavesalmost immediately upon his arrival at the airport unit in 2012.

In one incident within weeks of his arrival, officers allegeSpiritoremovedhis loaded gun from his holster and waved it around while recounting a story about his days on patrol. There's no indication he pointed the weapon at any of his colleagues.

The Police Services Act states that officers may only draw their weapons if it's necessary to "protect against loss of life or serious bodily harm." Retired constableGord Shultz reported the incident to his superiors, including the police chief.

"Accidental discharges can happen, I've seen it before," said Shultz. "You're pulling out your gun for no reason. A staff sergeant should be better than that."

The Ottawa Police Association said the matter was fully investigated and no charge was ever laid in relation to the incident, but union presidentMatt Skofwouldn't say whether Spirito was reprimanded in some other way.

Airport unit called 'island of misfit toys'

Spirito refused to comment on this story and asked CBC not to contacthim again.

But in a written reportto his boss shortlyafter being posted to the airport, Spirito referred tothe unit as "the island of misfit toys," an assignment that was"viewed as a retirement home for officers in their last years or a place to send problem employees."

In his report, Spirito wrote that he wanted to pump new blood into the unit, and thathis goal was to change the culture and perception ofairport police.

According to the emailsfrom some of the officers working under him,Spiritopushed his team to conduct more searches and seizures at the airport.

Clarke claimsSpiritopractised favouritism, labelling one platoon "the good side" and the other "the bad side," and arbitrarily shuffled officers onto different shifts without consulting them, throwing their personal lives into disarray.

Officers reassigned

Officers with the unit said they tried for two years to work through the force's chain of command to fix the issues, but nothing was done.So in February 2015, 10 of them attempted to file an official grievance through their union, complaining of workplace bullying under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Documents show there were several meetings to discuss the grievance, but they all broke down, sometimesending in shouting matches. As a result, some officers began recording their interactions with management on video pens.

At the end of April 2015 the officers were summoned to a meeting with a superintendent and an inspector. They were called into an airport board room one by one to learn their fate.

Clarke, Ryan and Sgt. Alex Bender, who had originally brought his platoon's complaints about Spirito to the attention of Chief CharlesBordeleau, were informed they were being transferred to different units.

Another slap in the face

The reassigned officers complained to their union that they felt like they were being punished for speaking out about Spirito, but said the police association told them they didn't have a legal basis to file thegrievance.

Ryan, anOttawa police officer for 15years, said it felt like another slap in the face.

"I didn't sign up to be controlled and harassed and manipulated by management. Why would you do that to your own officer? I was a productive officer," said Ryan, who is currently on stress leave.

Instead the union advised the officers to participatein a workplace safety investigation conducted by a neutralinvestigator. The investigator would be chosen by managementand the force would not disclose the findings.

Concerned about a lack of transparency, Clarke and Ryan refused to participate in the investigation, andaccused the union of violating its responsibilityto representits members fairly. Bender did not speak to CBC for this story.

However Skof saidthe union went above and beyond its duties when it successfully negotiated for the investigation.

"The frustrating part here is that we have memberswho don't want to participate regardless of the efforts made by both the service and the association," said Skof."When they won't participate it's hypocritical to lay the blame at one person's feet."

The dispute between the officers and their union is currently under arbitration.

Officers sought 2nd legal opinion

Having lost faith in their union, Clarke, Ryan and three other officersamong the original 10 sought a second opinion. Theypaid $10,000 of their own money to consultlabour lawyer David Jewitt, who found that thetransfer of the officers would have a "chilling effect across the bargaining unit with the respect to the filing of any future complaints of harassment."

Jewitt concluded that in his legal view, the decision to move the officers out of the airport unit did indeed amount to punishment for speaking out.

In the fall of 2015 just a few months after the officers were turfed from the airport unitSpiritowas also reassignedand is now working as a staffing officer in patrol.

CBC contacted the inspector whoinformed the officers of their transfer, but was told the force will not comment on ongoing labour matters.