Ottawa police union reviewing panel’s decision to fire Const. Goran Beric

A file photo of Goran Beric outside the Ottawa courthouse on Jan. 16, 2024. Photo by Tony Caldwell /PostmediaArticle content

The Ottawa Police Association is reviewing a disciplinary panel’s decision to fire Const. Goran Beric, but did not say Thursday whether it would appeal the decision.

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Beric was convicted in 2023 on criminal charges of assault and assault with a weapon for stepping on a man’s neck for two minutes and striking his head with his police-issued baton two years earlier. The victim, Derrick Weyman, was in the midst of a mental health breakdown when he was found by police in a first-floor bathroom at a Bronson Avenue housing complex.

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In finding Beric guilty, Ontario Court Justice Janet O’Brien ruled that Weyman had been in an “extremely vulnerable” mental and physical state when he was assaulted. O’Brien also found inconsistencies in Beric’s trial testimony and glaring omissions in his notes reporting the incident. The judge then ruled that Beric’s use of force went beyond the lawful range of reasonable and necessary.

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He was ordered to 30 months of probation and 200 hours of community service after being given a suspended sentence in January 2024, sparing him jail time.

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Beric then appeared at Ottawa Police Service discipline hearings that started last May. In a 28-page report published on Wednesday, Beric was found guilty of three counts of discreditable conduct and two counts of insubordination.

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The report by M.P.B. Elbers, a retired superintendent with the Ontario Provincial Police, called Beric’s actions “abhorrent” and said they damaged the reputation of the Ottawa Police Service. Elbers also wrote that Beric abused his authority as a police officer and that his actions indicated “a lack of moral and judgmental qualities required for a police officer.”

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Elbers noted that Beric believed he had done nothing wrong and his use of force had been justified. The report did note that Beric showed remorse at his criminal trial.

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But Elbers didn’t believe that rehabilitation would correct what he called a “fundamental character flaw.”

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“It is my opinion that dismissal/demotion is a viable conclusion in this regard,” Elbers wrote.

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“The credibility of this officer is in serious doubt and if left employed by the (Ottawa Police Service) may at some point jeopardize an investigation or cause further risk management issues for the service,” the report read.

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Matthew Cox, president of the OPA, said the union was still reviewing Elbers’ decision.

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“The Ottawa Police Association is currently reviewing the hearing officer’s decision in the matter involving Constable Beric. After a lengthy and challenging four-year process, we remain committed to supporting Beric and his family and ensuring all available options are considered,” Cox wrote in an email statement.