Advocates want officer fired for threatening to kill his ex

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 saysthe OttawaPoliceService is betraying public trustby continuing to employ an officer who threatened to kill his exand wielded aknife during an argument.

Const. Yourik Brisebois, 43,pleaded guilty to two counts of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act last week. He waspreviouslyfound 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," saidYamikani Msosa, executive director of the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, which co-signedthe letter.

"This is not the first, and likely won't be the last, that we hear of."

Others to signincludeCounselling and Family Service Ottawa andwomen's domestic abuse shelterInterval 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, reportedthe 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 Marchof both criminal charges against him knowingly uttering a threat to cause deathand possessing aknife 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 contactthe victim, norpossessany weapons exceptthoserequired forpolicingand only during work hours, and must attendand actively participatein any programshe 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 discreditableconduct. Thepolice prosecutorand Brisebois's representativejointly 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.

Ottawa Morning7:03Groups call on Ottawa police to fire officer found guilty of discreditable conduct

A coalition of groups against intimate partner violence is calling for the job of an Ottawa police officer found guilty of threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend. One of the signatories of that letter explains why these groups say the continued employment of Const. Yourik Brisebois erodes trust in police.

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.

Itcalls on OPS to dismiss Brisebois and to makecases involving him available for review. It also calls on the city toredirectresourcesfrompolicing into community-based support and services.

In an email, a police spokesperson said OPSwill 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.