Police sergeant docked 200 hours of pay for hitting woman in cell

A London police sergeant will lose 200 hours of pay for kicking and punching a young woman held in police cells two years ago. Sgt. Peter Paquette, 50, pleaded guilty Friday to three charges under the Police Services Act (PSA) and apologized several times to the woman, her family, his own family, his colleagues and the public. “I am and forever will be deeply and truly sorry,” Paquette, a 26year police veteran, said at the hearing. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart.” Paquette was on duty at 6:14 a.m. Sept. 6, 2016, when the woman was brought into the detention unit at the police station on Dundas Street, arrested for being drunk in a public place, resisting arrest and property damage, according to an agreed statement of facts.

She was handcuffed and her ankles restrained by zip ties. She refused to identify herself or answer questions from Paquette, then became agitated and struck her head against the wall.

To keep her from hurting herself more, she was restrained and taken to the ground by two constables. She began to struggle and tried to turn over, kicking an officer in the stomach, according to the agreed statement of facts. Paquette approached her and while she was held by three officers, kicked her in the lower back, stating, “Smarten up.”

He then applied his left foot near the victim’s head area, the statement says, and stated, “You kick my officers, I kick you.”

At that point he grabbed the woman by the arms and carried her to a restraint stretcher. The woman bit his hand and he threw her onto the stretcher and punched her once in the face with a closed fist.

Paquette left for a moment to get more restraint strapping and on his return, kicked the woman in the back near her buttocks, and said, “You want to bite me?” The two exchanged words and Paquette said he would “punch you in the face if I have to.”

The woman made a motion to spit at officers and Paquette applied his forearm to her left jaw, restraining her movement. A spit mask was put on her, according to the statement of facts.

The woman was taken to hospital because of her behaviour. She suffered no broken bones or lacerations, but was bruised.

As a result of a London police investigation, Paquette was charged with one count of assault and pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2017, receiving a conditional sentence of two years with the requirement he receive counselling and perform 100 hours of community service. He has performed 260 hours, the hearing heard.

After the guilty plea to the criminal charge, London police launched the Police Services Act process. Paquette was facing five charges under the law, which governs policing in Ontario. Two of them were withdrawn Friday, leaving Paquette to plead guilty to two counts of discreditable conduct and one of unlawful or unnecessary use of force.

Besides the loss in pay, he will have to take training in mental health awareness and de-escalation.

“There is no excuse for Sgt. Paquette’s actions,” police services lawyer Patty Malone told the hearing.

His actions received significant public and media attention, and brought discredit on the service, she said.

However, “he is a long-serving and valued member of the London police service,” Malone said. Paquette was informally disciplined once before, his record shows, from a July 2015 incident, but has also received professional notices of merit, including a chief ’s citation for bravery in a 2012 arrest, the hearing heard.

At the time of the incident, Paquette was struggling with some personal stresses, his lawyer Lucas O’Hara said at the hearing.

“It contributed to his extremely poor decision,” O’Hara said, calling the assault “a blemish on an otherwise exemplary career.” Paquette continues to receive treatment and counselling and is on a leave of absence. Only with proper medical documentation and a commitment to continue receiving care will he be allowed to return to work and begin the 200 hours of lost pay. Paquette was fortunate not to be demoted, but the loss of 200 hours is “severe” and an unusually high financial penalty for PSA punishments, said hearing officer Morris Elbers, a retired OPP superintendent.

Elbers credited Paquette for cooperating with the criminal and PSA investigations and said he still has the ability to perform well as a police sergeant.

But, he told Paquette, “you need to step up.”

Paquette was charged with ... assault and pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2017, receiving a conditional sentence of two years.