Questions about how police hiring practices

Re: Investigator quits over ‘unsuitable’ police candidate, Aug. 9.

If Ottawa police Chief Charles Bordeleau gave the thumbs-up to hire the Somali-Canadian recruit against the advice of one of the force’s screening investigators, and after reviewing her case evidence, then he is one that should resign, not her.

If the goal is to hire someone from that community — and apparently there already are three such officers on staff — then surely there are better candidates.

This person had multiple speeding violations, four license suspensions, 16 Highway Traffic Act convictions and tried to get a new driver’s licence while under suspension.

If, as your reporter indicated, there were supportive letters from (unspecified) “people within the force,” then it would be interesting to know just how many, and why they thought this man was a good candidate. Is an inside recommendation a stronger hiring factor than the facts of a background investigation?

If Bordeleau looked at all this, then gave the go-ahead, it reflects poorly on his judgment.

Rod Ralph, Ottawa