Ottawa Police Association Paid Legal Fees for On-Duty Rapist – but not for Detective Grus charged with ‘unauthorized’ on-duty investigation of infant deaths.
An informal survey of 37 Ottawa Police patrol officers from August to November 2023 revealed that not one was aware that their own union – the Ottawa Police Association – is not paying legal fees for Detective Helen Grus.
Detective Helen Grus is charged with ‘Discreditable Conduct’ for conducting a purported “unauthorized” investigation into the potential connection between mRNA vaccinated mothers, and the sudden deaths of breastfeeding babies.
Detective Grus conducted her investigation ON DUTY, and after informing then Ottawa Chief of Police Peter Sloly about a significant increase in sudden infant deaths. Detective Grus presented her official criminal investigation file to Professional Standards investigator Sgt. Jason Arbuthnot on May 12, 2022.
The Ottawa Police served Detective Grus with ‘Notice of Increased Penalty’ that she will be fired if convicted. Nonetheless the Ottawa Police Association refused, and continues to refuse, to pay Detective Grus’s legal expenses for the charge arising from her on-duty investigation.
Matthew Cox, Ottawa Police Association President
“The questions that you have put to us are not only rife with inaccuracies, they also relate to internal policy decisions…
Guidelines are established that our members have to follow, and I do not believe it would be appropriate to speak out in the middle of a Police Service Act hearing.
The Association will not be granting your request for an interview. We can, however, confirm that we adhere to fair and transparent business practices, and ensure that all our members are treated equally.”
Matthew Cox, President Ottawa Police Association on November 10, 2023, replying to an interview request. (Media Request + Full Response below.)
Patrol Officers Question Why Some Accused Officers Receive Association Legal Funding and Others Do Not
Ottawa Police Officers told me that they have questions not only about why their police union refuses to pay Detective Grus’s legal fees, but also about what some called “the secretive process” that results in the Association covering legal fees for some members but not for others.
Ottawa Police Association Paid Legal Fees for Officers Accused of On-Duty Rape, Bribe-Taking
Several Ottawa Police Officers informed me that their police union paid at least partial legal expenses for Constable Eric Post – charged in 2018 with 32 criminal offenses against women including sexual assault (rape), forceable confinement, threatening, and pointing a firearm.
It is alleged that some of the criminal events occurred while Post was ‘on duty’, including when he wore his uniform and sidearm into a school classroom where the victim was teaching.
Post victimized numerous women over several years. One victim committed suicide. In 2021, Post pleaded guilty to five criminal charges involving violence against women in a negotiated plea that many found disgusting.
Police sources also state that the Ottawa Police Association paid at least some legal counsel expenses for three Constables charged by an RCMP anti-corruption squad for taking bribes and kickbacks from tow-truck operators for on-duty corruption. Two officers were also involved in a fraudulent insurance report that also involved on-duty criminal acts.
Constables Hussein Assaad, Kevin Putinski, and Andrew Chronopoulos resigned from the Ottawa Police in 2022 after a mixture of pleas and stays.
Informal Survey of Ottawa Police Officers Yields Shocking Answers
From August to November 2023, I approached 37 Ottawa Police patrol officers on the street and near various police facilities. I informed the officers that I am a former Toronto Police Sergeant Detective – now an independent journalist – and asked if they were aware of the charges against Detective Grus, and that the Ottawa Police Association is not funding her legal defense.
All 37 officers were unaware that the Ottawa Police Association had refused to fund Detective Grus’s legal expenses. Further, 26 of the officers passionately stated that I must be wrong – that their union would of course be paying Detective Grus’s legal fees.
The disconnect between these officers’ beliefs and their union’s refusal to fund Detective Grus’s legal fees is shocking.
“I thought the Association was covering her (Detective Grus’s) lawyer.”
Ottawa Police Constable ‘J’ – August, 2023.
“Officers don’t know that their legal fees aren’t covered until it happens to them. They assume they’re covered for all charges from on-duty things but it’s not true. The Association lets them think that they have their back.”
Ottawa Police Constable ‘J’ – October, 2023. (Same officer as above, two months later)
“The Association is more concerned with saving its bank account than the members who fund it.”
Ottawa Police Constable ‘T’ – October, 2023
“No f’ing way the Association is not paying for her lawyer. I heard the brass wants to fire her.”
“She has to fund raise? WTF?” (When told of Detective Grus’s GiveSendGo)
Ottawa Police Constable ‘P’ – November, 2023
One Toronto Police Staff-Sergeant blames both Toronto and Ottawa officers for not taking an interest in the Association rules and policies that could impact them – but also acknowledges how decisions to pay member’s legal expenses can be quite arbitrary.
“Toronto Police Officers are ignorant of the Toronto Police Association bylaws about funding legal expenses, and it’s probably the same thing in Ottawa. They should be asking for the bylaws. It’s available to the rank and file and if they don’t read it, that’s their problem.
When the Association Executive is unfair in its discretion that’s something else. It’s happened in Toronto too. Sometimes it depends on who you know in the Executive. It’s not fair but it’s the way it is.”
Toronto Police Staff Sergeant ‘B’ – November, 2023
Union Reps Missing in Action at Detective Grus Trial
Ottawa Police Association union representatives were distinctly absent from the ten days of Detective Grus hearings in August and October / November.
In November one union representative showed up for a few hours.
I forgot to ask OPA President Matthew Cox about this, but he refused to answer any questions so it would not have made a difference.
“I would be pleased to publish any response by Mr. Cox as to why the Ottawa Police Association is so disinterested in the trial of an outstanding Detective who will be fired if convicted.”
Police Association Conflicts of Interest
Some officers told this journalist that the support shown by their police union for the coerced and mandated Covid vaccinations of Ottawa Police Service officers and civilian employees raises questions about Conflicts of Interest by the Ottawa Police Association.
Officers said that the Ottawa Police Association has consistently been in favour of experimental mRNA gene therapy injections for police personnel – and that their leadership failed to stand up for their members’ personal health autonomy and medical privacy.
When the Ottawa Police Service mandated COVID ‘vaccines’ for members, the Ottawa Police Association agreed. OPA President at the time Matt Skoff stated that unlike the Toronto Police Association, the OPA would not oppose the mandates. Further, President Skoff made statements in support of the Ottawa Police Service “(continuing) to pursue high vaccination rates of its members…”
Ottawa Police Association won’t oppose potential vaccine mandate – Ottawa Citizen August 25, 2021
Like the Ottawa Police Service that mandated the experimental injections for all employees, the Ottawa Police Association is a defacto supporter of mandatory mRNA injections and therefore has a real conflict of interest in anything to do with the legal and medical issues surrounding the vaccines.
“It would not be in the interest of the Ottawa Police, the Ottawa Police Association, or the Police Association of Ontario if evidence in the Grus Internal Hearing revealed that the mandatory mRNA vaccine injections cause injuries or deaths…” Donald Best
Courthouse Prayers for Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus
Media Request for Interview – Matthew Cox
Thursday, November 9th, 2023 at 2:21 PM
From:
Donald Best
Barrie, Ontario
To:
Mr. Matthew Cox,
President
Ottawa Police Association
Re: Detective Helen Grus
Dear Mr. Cox,
I am requesting a media interview about the case of Detective Helen Grus.
I’ve covered the Grus case extensively at my website and in other media. I did live broadcasts at the hearing every day of the recent August and October / November dates. The case is attracting international attention in the US, UK, and Australia where I’ve appeared in various media interviews.
I’m not into ‘ambush’ journalism, so here are the issues I wish to cover in your interview…
My readers and viewers are interested in these issues concerning the Ottawa Police Association and the Detective Grus case…
1/ Why isn’t the Ottawa Police Association covering the legal fees of Detective Grus?
Considerations:
- At the very least the allegations against Detective Grus were an ‘on duty’ event. Professional Standards and the Hearing Officer have already stated that there is no evidence that the investigation Detective Grus initiated was for a personal purpose. The evidence before the Hearing is that Detective Grus was engaged in a criminal investigation, briefed Chief Sloly, and even provided her investigation file, evidence and exhibits to the Professional Standards officer on May 12, 2022.
- The Ottawa Police Association has previously covered the legal expenses of police officers charged with on-duty rape, accepting bribes-kickbacks, and other offences.
- So why is Detective Grus forced to mortgage her home to pay legal costs?
2/ I recently interviewed 37 Ottawa Police patrol officers on the street. Not one of them was aware that the OPA is not covering Detective Grus’s legal fees. Fully 26 of them informed me that I must be wrong – that the OPA was certainly covering her legal fees given the seriousness of the charge and the fact that the prosecution served ‘Increased Penalty’ notice that Detective Grus can be fired if convicted.
Question: Why do Ottawa Police patrol officers believe that the OPA is covering the legal fees of Detective Grus?
Question: In what other cases has the Ottawa Police Association NOT covered the legal fees of members charged with offences?
3/ Does the Ottawa Police Association have a Conflict of Interest in the Grus Case?
When the Ottawa Police Service mandated COVID ‘vaccines’ for members, the Ottawa Police Association agreed. OPA President at the time Matt Skoff stated that unlike the Toronto Police Association, the OPA would not oppose the mandates. Further, President Skoff made statements in support of the Ottawa Police Service “(continuing) to pursue high vaccination rates of its members…”
Further, the Ottawa Police Association is now aware that some OPA members are claiming serious injuries from the mandated injections that the OPA failed to oppose, and defacto supported.
Questions:
a/ Does the position of the OPA to not oppose the mandates, and / or to support the COVID ‘vaccines’ – now create any actual or perceived liability for the OPA?
b/ Did the OPA require employees, members, or volunteers be ‘vaccinated’ to enter the OPA office?
c/ How many OPA members have reported injuries allegedly from the mandated injections?
d/ Has the OPA Executive discussed…
1/ Claims by OPA members of alleged vaccine injuries, and
2/ the growing medical evidence and even admissions from some governments that the COVID ‘vaccines’ have caused unprecedented levels of injuries and deaths?
Has this been a topic at Executive meetings, and if not, is this issue scheduled for discussion by the OPA?
e/ Does the OPA’s refusal to fund the Detective Grus legal defense have anything to do with the fact that her acquittal might draw attention to the OPA’s role in supporting COVID injections for its members?
INTERVIEW
I would appreciate recording an interview with you at your convenience via phone, Zoom or any other method of direct communication.
In the alternative, I would publish your written response to this email.
As I intend to publish my article at 6am Monday, November 13, 2023, I would appreciate interviewing you or your written response by Sunday evening.
Regards,
Donald Best
Barrie, Ontario Canada
X: @DonaldBestCA
website: DonaldBest.CA
Daily Broadcast: co-host of The Lavigne Show – https://rumble.com/c/TheLavigneShow
Published in and / or interviewed by:
CBC
Epoch Times
Financial Post
Globe and Mail
Rebel News
Toronto Star
Toronto Sun
True North
Viva Frei
Western Standard
Response from Matthew Cox – President, Ottawa Police Association
FW: Media Request for Interview – Matthew Cox
From Matthew Cox
Friday, November 10th, 2023 at 8:44 AM
Mr. Best,
Thank you for your enquiry, along with your request for an interview.
The Ottawa Police Association is an independent, Not-For-Profit corporation that has a fiduciary duty relating to the labour relations interests of the Civilian and Sworn employees of the Ottawa Police Service. The questions that you have put to us are not only rife with inaccuracies, they also relate to internal policy decisions; these policies are developed and approved by the duly elected Board of Directors of the Ottawa Police Association.
Guidelines are established that our members have to follow and I do not believe it would be appropriate to speak out in the middle of a Police Service Act hearing.
As such, the Association will not be granting your request for an interview. We can, however, confirm that we adhere to fair and transparent business practices, and ensure that all our members are treated equally.
Matthew Cox
President, Ottawa Police Association
