Ottawa police detective found guilty of discreditable conduct

An Ottawa police detective has been found guilty of discreditable conduct following a lengthy police disciplinary hearing into allegations she invaded the privacy of families by inappropriately accessing files of dead children and asking one parent about a vaccination status. 

Const. Helen Grus, a detective with the Ottawa Police Service's sexual assault and child abuse unit, was accused of self-initiating "an unauthorized project" by accessing case files to which she wasn't assigned.

She also faced accusations that, in late January 2022, she interfered in an investigation by calling and speaking with the father of a deceased infant — inquiring about the COVID-19 vaccination status of the mother. 

She was suspended with pay a short while later.

Grus felt duty-bound to investigate

The crux of Grus's argument, as presented to the hearing, was that she took reasonable steps based on a firm belief and that she was unfairly charged for upholding her oath. 

In his decision, Supt. (retired) Chris Renwick details that the detective noticed a "doubling or tripling of infant deaths" and saw it as "her duty to investigative criminal negligence on the part of the government."

Grus's defence lawyer, Bath-Shéba van den Berg, submitted that there is no such thing as an unauthorized investigation and no such thing as unlawful interference by making a phone call for policing purposes, according to Renwick's summary.

She told the tribunal that Grus had intended to inform her chain of command of her actions, but her suspension prevented it — as did former police Chief Peter Sloly's departure soon after. 

The decision also notes that, according to Grus's lawyers, she was shut down by a lie concocted by her unit that led to the "never seen before" charge, influenced by "political control of the police."

Renwick's decision also details that, in her affidavit, Grus determined that she "at most" stepped on her colleague's toes.

But in the end, the hearing officer wasn't buying it

Renwick said Grus's description of events demonstrated, at best, a poorly thought-out criminal negligence investigation, kept from her higher ups and "with national implications far beyond her individual capabilities and resources."

"It can certainly be viewed as an attempted weaponization/politicalization of police powers to exert pressure on municipal, provincial, and federal health officials," Renwick wrote. 

He wrote that Grus's failure to document her call with the father only compounded the potential damage to the lead investigator's relationship and trust with the family.

Renwick said, while he accepted the underlying motivation was one of concern, he found Grus had applied her own personal views, formed by her self-initiated research and her strong opposition to her employer's decision to implement a mandatory vaccination policy.

Issues with decorum

He found her guilty under the Police Services Act. 

"Grus allowed her personal beliefs and opinions to seep into her professional responsibilities and cloud her judgment and, ultimately, her professional conduct," he wrote.

In his decision, Renwick also took aim at some of the behaviour he saw throughout the hearing, which kicked off in August of 2023. 

He said poor decorum by counsel led to "name calling and accusations," with constant objections adding several days to the hearings.  

He said disruptions by members of the public were another issue, with the hearing having to be stopped on two occasions to remove disruptive persons. He said police eventually had to initiate a security protocol, significantly adding to the tension within the room. 

According to the police service on Tuesday, no dates have been set for submissions on penalty as of yet. The Ottawa Police Association said Tuesday Grus is still employed by the Ottawa police.

The police service settled a civil claim related to Grus's actions in December 2023. 

In April 2024 Grus launched a lawsuit against the CBC over articles concerning the accusations. That legal proceeding has not been resolved.