Police downplayed harassment and discrimination claims, hearing told
Former officer testifies staff sergeant said, ‘Don’t worry about it, they say that about all the girls’
WATERLOO REGION When Waterloo Regional Police Const. Angie Rivers complained to Staff Sgt. Gerry Nugent about the harassment, isolation and toxic rumours spread about her by other officers in the Cambridge Division, she never forgot his response.
“He said words to the effect of, ‘Don’t worry about it, they say that about all the girls. You are doing really well, you are well liked,’ ” said Rivers on Thursday when she resumed testimony at the arbitration hearing into how police management responded to her complaints of sexual harassment and sex discrimination.
Rivers joined the Waterloo Regional Police in 2006. She last worked in there in 2015 and has been fighting her case since then. The arbitration hearing began in February.
On Thursday, Rivers provided more detail about how her bosses downplayed her complaints, sometimes responding with laughter, and with only minor discipline for those involved.
Nugent told Rivers on Nov. 4, 2013, that he’d heard rumours she had slept with Sgt. Steve Girhiny to get on the detective squad at the Cambridge Division. Girhiny was part of the squad known as the CMT — Crime Management Team.
The sergeant leading the CMT, Nathan Cardoza, had told Rivers about the rumours in a BBM message. Cardoza sent Rivers sexually charged BBM messages, including one that said, “I was totally insulted because you could have had me.”
Rivers was outraged at the rumours and told Cardoza she was going to make a formal complaint. She said Cardoza tried to talk her out of it.
She was also upset Nugent was told about the sexualized rumours by Sgt. John Van Breda.
The hearing was told how two other officers on her platoon, Const. Neal Marcynuk and Const. Pete Hentz — were shunning her and complaining about her work behind her back to their sergeant.
That behaviour started after Rivers called them out for not helping in the search for the remains of a sex-trade worker in the regional landfill.
When they were assigned to the task for one shift, they never forgave her, said Rivers.
She told the hearing Marcynuk referred to her as a “bitch” who was going to get her ass kicked and he would not back her up, said Rivers. Marcynuk repeated his comments to Det. Marsha Kalita, an ally of Rivers. Kalita said Rivers should get off that platoon because she was not safe without backup.
Rivers testified she felt isolated and unsafe on patrol.
Hentz talked openly at work about bringing his silver pistol to the station and “going postal” on officers he did not like, she testified. Their platoon leader, Sgt. Saunders, laughed at the comments.
When Rivers decided to complain to Staff Sgt. Nugent on Oct. 10, 2013, Kalita went with her.
Rivers had gone to Nugent, who was senior to her platoon sergeant, because she thought their platoon sergeant was too close to Marcynuk and Hentz.
Nugent appeared to take the complaints seriously, Rivers said, so she was disappointed when he called her into the office on Oct. 31, 2013. Also present was Insp. Daryl Goetz, who said Marcynuk and Hentz’s behaviour was concerning, but did not fit the definition of harassment.
Marcynuk and Hentz would get verbal warnings. Marcynuk would also be transferred to a different patrol zone than the one Rivers was in.
“I remember distinctly coming away from that meeting feeling like he felt bad but there was nothing else he could do, his hands were tied,” said Rivers.
When Kalita learned of the decision to give verbal warnings, she was upset and wrote an email to Goetz, saying that was insufficient discipline.
As a result, Staff Sgt. Dean Smith, who was in charge of general detectives in Cambridge, gave Kalita a formal letter of reprimand for breaking the chain of command with her complaints to Goetz.
“I was very upset, and incensed,” said Rivers. “The only person who was formally documented was Marsha Kalita.”
Nugent told Rivers that female officers who are doing well are often the subject of rumours and it was nothing to worry about, said Rivers.
The hearing was told about an email between two senior officers that seemed to downplay everything. Staff Sgt. Paul Lobsinger sent an email in mid-October 2013 to Supt. Pat Dietrich, saying there was no need for anything further because the complaint was old news and had been dealt with.
After she initiated complaints against Marcynuk and Hentz, Rivers said she was micromanaged to the point where she recorded washroom breaks in her notebook because of the increased scrutiny. When she needed more time in the washroom because of menstrual cramps, she noted that too.
“It was humiliating and demeaning,” said Rivers.
Her platoon sergeant started criticizing her work; he once demanded she return an unmarked cruiser to the station immediately, saying she needed to fill out the right forms and get permission first.
When her two-year-old child was critically ill and had a tumour, Rivers took time off work. When she returned, Rivers was required to apply to the chief for permission to use some sick days to cover the time off. Other officers received family leave or compassionate leave, but not her, she said.
In December 2013, Marcynuk was moved to Kitchener while he was investigated under the Police Services Act for saying he would not back up Rivers if she needed help. Rivers said her sergeant increased his scrutiny and micromanagement.
Ultimately, the investigation cleared Marcynuk.
“I had lost my faith in the service to do the right thing,” said Rivers.
The result had a profound impact on her, said Rivers, who said she was battling depression at that point.
“I could never bounce back after that. The depression set in, and I couldn’t shake it any other way, I went on antidepressant medication at the time,” said Rivers.
Rivers and her husband decided against having another child because of the stress, and she has never been able to stop taking the antidepressants.
The arbitration hearing continues Friday.
‘‘ I had lost my faith in the service to do the right thing. ANGIE RIVERS