Ottawa police detective suspended over 'racist' meme

UPDATE | Const. Ramsay's suspension finished at the end of July. His next court appearance on charges under the Police Services Act is scheduled for Sept. 8.

A detective with theOttawa Police Service's drug unithas been suspended in connection to an internal investigation into a meme denounced by the chief as "racist" and "disgusting."

Const. James Ramsay, 39, was suspended with pay Thursday afternoon following a two-week investigation launched by Chief Peter Slolyinto the origin of a photo collagedepicting13officers, most of whom are men of colour, with the words:"Ottawa Police Service We're always hiring...anyone."

• Police chief vows to unearth source of 'disgusting, racist meme'

The meme was widely shared by current and retired officers before coming to the attention of the executive.

"It targets a number of racialized members within the service. It is an overt act of racism and it is unacceptable,"Slolysaid during a virtual meeting of the Ottawa police services board in late April.

"This is more evidence of the need for a serious overhaul of our culture, ethics and ethical behaviour. The culture of the Ottawa Police Service needs significant improvement. We can no longer ignore this reality."

Ramsayhas not been formally charged under the Police Services Act, and other officers are still being interviewed at this point.

Three of the officers who appear in the memewererecently charged by the RCMPinan alleged tow truck kickback scheme.

Othersare facing criminal chargesincluding assault, or have been convicted of offences including impaired driving and unlawful entry. Some of the officers arefacing charges under the Police Services Act.

A second version of the meme included an image of Deputy Chief Uday Jaswal, currently suspended with payafter twowomen cameforward with allegations of sexual harassment.

Investigation prejudiced: OPA

The Ottawa Police Association (OPA) is calling Ramsay's suspension unfair,and says the chief has already prejudiced the investigation by calling the meme "racist."

"Regardless if it being on the topic of race or any other investigation, the chief is entitled to his opinion. But when [police chiefs]are the only ones with the authorityto conduct an investigation under the Police Services Act, it becomes an abuse of process when there is predetermination of guilt or facts or intent," said OPApresident Matt Skof.

Skof says Ramsay identifies as Mtis, and said the matter could have been dealt with under the human resources department's respectful workplace policy framework.

Skof said this is the first time Ramsay has been suspended following an investigation by the police service's professional standards section.

Disciplined before

In 2017, Ramsay was disciplined after driving an unmarked police vehicle to Montreal. He was banned from driving his police vehicle for a month following that incident.

On the side, Ramsay runs a video production company that specializes in drone cinematography, working with various local sports organizations and companies to create promotional videos.

In 2015, he organized a fundraising campaign for a fellow officer's son who was diagnosed with leukemia. For the campaign, he createda glossy video that featured the OPS tactical unit, Ottawa firefighters, members of the Toronto Maple Leafs andOttawa Redblacks, and local and national television sports personalities.

Ramsay did not return a CBC request for comment. The Ottawa Police Servicedeclined a request for comment, citing the ongoing investigation by the professional standards section.