Ottawa police chief resigns after harsh criticism of his handling of the crisis

Vehicles and protesters, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. BLAIR GABLE (REUTERS)

Facing a wave of criticism for his mishandling of protests against covid restrictions that have brought Canada's capital to a standstill, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly has announced his resignation from the post, Canadian Public Broadcasting reports. (CBC).

Sloly's resignation is also framed within several complaints of workplace mistreatment and erratic behavior, which would have harmed relations with his superiors and thus compromised the ability of the security forces to deal with the truck drivers' protest.

Sloly became chief of the Ottawa Police Service in October 2019 with a mandate to help his men tackle systemic racism, improve their response to mental health calls and rebuild trust with the city's black community.

Last Monday, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, decided to invoke emergency powers not used since 1970 in order to deal with the protests that have lasted almost 20 days and that have closed some important border crossings with the United States.

The big question is whether that decision will put an end to the protests by truckers and others who are furious over the decision announced on January 15 by Trudeau that the covid vaccine be mandatory for cross-border journeys.

According to CBC sources, Sloly allegedly belittled and berated senior Ottawa Police Service officers in front of his colleagues, never presenting a solid plan of operations to end the crisis.

Those same sources say that the former boss has a bad character and often uses bad manners with his team.

"We need the police to take charge, use the Emergencies Act and bring order," Prime Minister Trudeau said Monday.

"We have given new powers to the police and we need them to act now."

What is unknown to date is when and how that response will be against the self-styled

After the imposition of vaccination for truckers who frequently cross into the United States, hundreds of carriers drove to Ottawa to show their rejection, while different groups supported their claims.

The protests also took place in some provincial capitals (such as Quebec, Toronto or Winnipeg), but only Ottawa - where a state of emergency was declared two Sundays ago - has been paralyzed.

Now the government will be able to ban blockades at border crossings, airports and Ottawa;

freeze truck drivers' personal and business bank accounts and suspend their licenses;

in addition to attacking Internet sites that raise funds to support the blockades.

The

he recently noted that, while deputy chief of the Toronto Police Service, Sloly was accused of doing a poor job of handling complaints of misogyny and was known in police circles as someone who was quick to resort to heavy-handed measures.

"Right now, the Ottawa police are at a standstill," according to a source quoted by CBC.

“They are paralyzed on the front line.

They have been awaiting instructions from their superior and are frustrated with how the public views them due to their leader's spectacular failure."

Just a few days after the protest began, Sloly suggested that his force was not adequately equipped to take on such a challenge.

"The longer this goes on, the more convinced I am that there may not be a police solution to this demonstration," he said then.

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