EDITORIAL,

Last summer, cellphone video captured by horrified witnesses showed the disturbing aftermath of Abdirahman Abdi’s arrest in Hintonburg. Now, almost eight months after Abdi’s death, an Ottawa police officer faces charges of manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. The charges follow a probe by the Special Investigations Unit, or SIU, which is called in whenever there are incidents of serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault involving police.

That criminal charges have been identified will comfort some. The courts will determine what happens next. In the meantime, though, Ottawans will be surprised to learn that the SIU is also investigating several other Ottawa officers.

On Monday, the Citizen reported there are 10 SIU probes underway of local police, dating back to 2014. Three are sexual assault investigations. Abdi’s case grabbed headlines, rightly, because it involved a death, happened in front of witnesses, and involved a mentally unstable black man. The other probes have remained under the radar.

This newspaper has long argued that both the SIU and police are too secretive about incidents involving officers. (Indeed, because Const. Daniel Montsion now faces charges in Abdi’s case, that SIU report is not being released.)

To be fair, the Ottawa Police Service is likely no different from others in its reluctance to publicize cases involving its own. On the weekend, for instance, the Winnipeg Free Press reported that since 2012, almost 200 members of the RCMP nationally have faced criminal charges. The force coughed up the stats only after a reporter asked; the cases range from stealing firearms to off-duty drunk-driving to the recent conviction of a former counterintelligence officer in Ottawa for child torture. “Few of the incidents involving the arrest of an RCMP officer make it into a public news release,” the newspaper noted. Apparently the RCMP sees no need to routinely disclose such charges.

Other police forces, facing challenges to their public reputations, are also hesitant to talk. Last week, Montreal police confirmed that a deputy chief had been “relieved of his duties” but were reluctant to provide details.

Police officers work heroically in most cases, but they aren’t perfect. That’s why openness and accountability are so essential. Because of the new charges, we may start to get answers on Abdirahman Abdi. But the public shouldn’t be left merely hoping for information; providing it should be second nature to police.