Cobourg Officer Facing 19 Conduct Charges

Pete Fisher
6 years ago
• Categories: Community, Crime, Editor Choice, Local, News

A Cobourg Police officer is facing 19 charges of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act.

The first appearance for Constable Amy Mattijjsse began at 10 a.m. at the Best Western Inn and Convention Centre on Friday, July 20 at 10 a.m.

Today’s Northumberland was the only media present for the hearing.

Cobourg Police Inspector Jeff Shiels along with two lawyers including Ian Johnstone were for the prosecution.   Cobourg Police Association President Rich Ferguson and Vice President Robbilynn Parker were present for Matthijsse along with her husband.

The adjudicator for the hearing is retired OPP Inspector Morris Elbers.

The brief hearing was put over until September, but Association President Ferguson asked the 19 charges be read at the hearing.

Johnstone said the charges stem from a complaint Matthijsse filed.

Elbers read each count and Statement of Particulars which took over 10 minutes to read.

The statement of particulars for all the discreditable charges read as follows:

Count 1

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Constable McDonald and Staff Sergeant Allison engaged in harassing conduct by failing to assist her at a serious motor vehicle collision and instead attended the Durham Regional Police human trafficking unit.

Count 2

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Constable McDonald engaged in harassing conduct by frequently throwing her belongs onto the top of the lockers out of reach.

Count 3

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Constable McDonald engaged in harassing conduct.  Constable Matthijsse alleged that Constable McDonald told Vanessa Gerasimow not to say Constable Matthijsse’s name in her presence.  Vanessa Gerasimow was not told to refrain from using Constable Matthijsse’s name in her presence.

Count 4

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Constable McDonald engaged in harassing conduct by telling Vanessa Gerasimow that she did not want Constable Matthijsse to be involved in Danielle McKeen’s interview, for fear that she would interfere in Danielle McKeen being hired out of spite for Constable McDonald.  There was no such conversation between Vanessa Gerasimow and Constable McDonald.

Count 5

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Staff Sergeant Allison engaged in harassing conduct excluding her from CIB operations.  Constable Matthijsse alleged that Staff Sergeant Allison left the office with other CIB members at 0745 hrs. and did not return until the end of shift.  Constable Matthijsse’s allegations were false.

Count 6

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Staff Sergeant Allison engaged in harassing conduct by permitting Constable McDonald to wear casual attire every day, while Constable Matthijsse and Jamie Baggaley were ordered to wear court attire.  The complaint or statement was false.

Count 7

Constable Mathijsse made an allegation that Constable McDonald made “sexually charged comments” to Staff Sergeant Allison with regard to his penis, in front of her and Kyle Tobin and Staff Sergeant Allison did not take any action.  The allegation was false.

Count 8

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in harassing conduct by refusing to allow her to work on the road and requiring her to go on “light duties” at the 12-week mark of her pregnancy with her son Carter in 2011.  The allegation is false and modified duties resulted from Constable Matthijsse’s medical practitioner’s note.

Count 9

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in harassing conduct by introducing her as “Amy and she has 6 kids” and would proceed to laugh.

Count 10

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in harassing conduct by providing her with a signed photo of himself being carried by Santa Claus, with a note that read “To my fav female detective.”

Count 11

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in harassing conduct by telling members at an employee meeting that “morale of the Service is the lowest it has ever been” and “that is good.”

Count 12

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu told her that if he is not informmed that an officer applied to another service, he “will make sure they are not successful.”  Further, Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in harassing conduct by “unfairly targeting” her ever since she applied to the OPP.

Count 13

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that she was not offered any courses after she left CIB.

Constanbe Matthijsse did attend courses after she left CIB.

Count 14

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu treated her unfairly with respect to the Memorial Run 2017, as compaired to the treated Vanessa Gerasimow received regarding the Ottawa Pride Parade.  Specifically, Constable Matthijsse alleged that she was not permitted to participate in the Police Memorial Run 2018, in that she was not granted company time or coverage to permit her to go.  By contrast, Vanessa Gerasimow was given company time, a hotel and company vehicle to attend the Ottawa Pride Parade the same year.

Count 15

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in unfair and harassing conduct since she is the only officer with a Sergeant’s credit that was not fiven a six month Acting Sergeant position on a Platoon.

Count 16

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu delayed reporting the investigative results from the Lines Report.  Constable Matthijsse further alleged that Chief Liu failed to take any steps to prevent mistreatment against her and failed to initiate an investigation against Staff Sergeant Allison and Constable McDonald.

Count 17

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Chief Liu engaged in unfair and harassing conduct when he invited Constable Matthijsse and her husband to a dinner in Ottawa, but there were not enough chairs and they had to leave and eat dinner elsewhere.

Count 18

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation of harassment that Deputy Chief VandeGraaf engaged in harassing conduct when in a debrief after a Sergeant promotional, he told her that “having 6 children is no reason not to volunteer anymore.”

Count 19

Constable Matthijsse made an allegation that Deputy Chief VandeGraaf engaged in harassing conduct when he ordered Sergeant Bambridge to call her while she was in the hospital with her injured 3-year old.  Specifically, Constable Matthijsse alleged that the purpose of the call was to inform her that the various restrictiosn she faced on her ability to take time off.  Constable Matthijsse further allged that she was not provided any support during her son’s injury and that there was no contact from management.

The hearing put over until September 7, 2018 for a conference call.

 

Cobourg Police Press Release

Date: July 20, 2018 Time: 2:00 PM

Authorization: Acting Inspector Jeff Sheils

Subject of Release:
Officer Charged with multiple Code of Conduct Violations
under the Police Services Act of Ontario

Release Narrative:

After a lengthy investigation, conducted by an independent external law firm, and reviewed by the Durham Regional Police Service’s Professional Standards Section, a Constable with twelve years of experience has been charged under the Police Services Act.

Cobourg Police Service Constable Amy Matthijsse has been charged with the following:
19 counts of Discreditable Conduct, contrary to Part V, s.80(1)(a) of the Police Services Act as amended and section 30, clause 2(1)(a)(vi) “willfully or negligently makes any false complaint or statement against any member of a police force” of the Schedule “Code of Conduct”, O.Reg. 268/10 as amended under the Act.

This first appearance was held today (July 20, 2018) at the Best Western Hotel in Cobourg. The next appearance is scheduled for September 7, 2018.

There will be no further comments made in relation to this matter at this time.