An investigation into the tragic suicide of an Ottawa police sergeant in March has sparked inquiries into the handling of sexual misconduct allegations dating back four years. Questions have been raised regarding the delay in launching a criminal investigation this year despite previous reports of off-duty misconduct by the officer, Robert “Bobby” Cleroux.
Cleroux, who was serving as an acting staff sergeant for the south district, was placed on suspension with pay in January. The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and later the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) looked into the allegations of sexual harassment and assault made by two former students of Collège La Cité’s police foundations program against Cleroux.
The investigation was cut short following Cleroux’s death on March 6, and no charges were filed against him. The circumstances surrounding the investigation and Cleroux’s popularity within the force have made it a sensitive topic that many are hesitant to discuss publicly.
The recent probe was triggered by a 2023 social media post about Cleroux made by one of the students he supervised. The post, brought to the attention of police leadership five months ago, alleged inappropriate behavior. Concerns have been raised about the timing of the investigation and why action was not taken earlier.
The student, identified as ‘L,’ had written the post warning about Cleroux’s misconduct, leading to a chain of events that eventually led to the recent investigation. ‘L’ recounted incidents of sexual harassment and unwanted advances by Cleroux, including explicit messages and inappropriate behavior at a pub.
Despite the disturbing allegations and the subsequent investigation, questions linger about the delay in addressing the issues and the force’s response to the situation. The sensitive nature of the case has made it a challenging topic for discussion within the Ottawa Police Service.