Peel officer docked pay for role in Pittsburgh brawl
Cop pleads guilty to discreditable conduct, harassment while in U.S.
A Peel Region police officer has been docked pay after pleading guilty for his role in an assault in Pittsburgh that forced other cops to Taser him to keep him under control.
Const. Ryan Andrews — son of Peel deputy police Chief Marc Andrews — has been with the force for five years and works out of the 12 Division neighbourhood policing unit in Mississauga.
He must forfeit five days’ pay after he pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act in front of hearing officer Supt. Colleen Fawcett.
The ruling was handed down Dec. 19 at police headquarters in Mississauga.
The hearing heard that Andrews and a group of friends were out in Pittsburgh on the evening of Dec. 9, 2017, when he and a friend left a nightclub and were involved in a fight with another man, also an off-duty cop.
“The conversation escalated to the point where Const. Andrews shoved (the man) twice, and a physical altercation ensued between the three males,” Fawcett said in her ruling.
The man tried to punch Andrews, but Andrews swung back and hit him in the head, knocking him to the ground.
“Const. Andrews then mounted (the man) on the ground and delivered a number of further punches to his face and head area,” according to the agreed statement of facts.
Pittsburgh police officers immediately responded to the assault, attempting to separate Andrews from the fight. But when Andrews didn’t stop, an officer Tasered him, the ruling stated.
That too, didn’t get Andrews to stop and the officer had to use force to remove Andrews from the man, at which point “additional officers were required to assist in gaining control of Const. Andrews and handcuffing him,” Fawcett wrote.
Andrews, who is from Brampton, was arrested and charged with assault and resisting arrest and transported to the county jail. Ten days later, Andrews pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and harassment before Judge Jeffrey A. Manning in the Allegany County Magisterial District Court and received a fine.
Fawcett said Andrews was remorseful and apologized to his family, the police force and the police tribunal.
Ryan Andrews has three commendations on file and was a recipient of the 2016 Matt Parr Impaired Driver Apprehension Award, according to Pierre Bernard, who represented Andrews at the disciplinary hearing on behalf of the Peel Regional Police Association.
“Overall, the comments (from his supervisors) describe an employment history that has been excellent prior to the misconduct,” Bernard said. “Const. Andrews accepts full responsi- bility for his actions, he has shown remorse, and he is embarrassed.”
Fawcett said police officers are held to a higher standard of ethical conduct and moral character.
“Such misconduct is viewed seriously and will not be tolerated,” she said. “The public is entitled to expect a high ethical standard of conduct from police officers, and to act responsibly and professionally at all times whether in their personal or professional lives.”