Brace for potential backlash, police association chief advises officers
The president of the union representing all rank-and-file officers of the Ottawa police is asking officers to stand by Const. Daniel Montsion following his acquittal on all charges against him in the death of Abdirahman Abdi.
In a written message to officers after Tuesday morning's verdict, Ottawa Police Association president Matt Skof asked his members to continue the work they do in the community in the face of any backlash that comes from the decision.
“Four years ago, a call for service required extra assistance and, in the end, a man died. We are all truly sorry for the loss of Abdirahman Abdi, and we realize that many people in the community are deeply feeling his loss,” Skof wrote.
“Throughout this long period, and in the coming days, you will continue to serve Ottawa's citizens as responsible police professionals. We will hear otherwise, we will be challenged, but I have confidence that you will continue to be committed to the safety of Ottawa's residents, and to each other.”
Montsion was found not guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon on Tuesday morning for the 2016 fatal arrest of Abdirahman Abdi.
The Ottawa Police Service also issued a media statement on Tuesday afternoon, saying the service will be conducting an incident, service and policy review of the fatal encounter, and the results will be made public.
“No one can ever accept the loss of life in a situation like this — especially of a vulnerable citizen experiencing a mental health crisis,” the police said in the statement, which was not issued under the name of Chief Peter Sloly, but the entire service.
“We recognize the environment in which we deliver service and we have heard the calls for change to the way we police.”
The statement added: “We are listening, learning and changing.”
Skof told officers Tuesday that they attend hundreds of thousands of calls each year and resolve them through de-escalation.
He told officers they are “empowered to uphold the laws created by the federal and provincial governments,” and “are trained to use force when circumstances warrant, in accordance with standards that are determined by the province.”
Those officers “are hired by a police service, and you follow their rules and procedures, as determined by the Chief of Police and the Police Services Board.
“When you experience difficult, even extreme calls, it sometimes seems that you are left to stand on your own in the aftermath. As the President of the Ottawa Police Association I have always held that in these times, the Association is there for you.”
Skof asked officers to “stand together over these coming days, let us stand with Dan, his family and his colleagues, and let us remember always, that it is an honour to be entrusted with the responsibilities of the profession of policing.”
The police service statement did not offer any insight into how and when Montsion will resume his duties as a police officer.