Ottawa police chief warns officers to stop misusing databases to target women

Ottawa's police chief has issued a direct warning to officers: stop using police databases to target women for romantic or sexual relationships — or get out of the service.

Chief Eric Stubbs delivered the message in a video posted to social media, CHCH reported. In it, he said some members of the Ottawa Police Service have improperly looked up women they saw in public, and that others have contacted vulnerable victims after responding to calls.

Stubbs also said officers have engaged in sexual harassment and assault. He described the conduct as unacceptable.

“Change your behaviour now, or quit”

“I want to have a serious and uncomfortable conversation with all of you,” Stubbs said in the video. “Change your behaviour now, or quit — leave. Members are using our databases as their own way to meet women.”

The chief's remarks make clear the service is treating the issue as an internal discipline matter, with officers facing a stark choice between correcting their conduct and leaving the force.

Broader pressure on the service

The warning comes after recent misconduct cases involving members of the service, according to CHCH.

It also lands as the Ottawa Police Service faces broader pressure over gender-based harassment, abuse of authority and long-running concerns about workplace culture within its ranks.

Stubbs's decision to speak publicly, rather than address the matter solely behind closed doors, signals the seriousness with which the service's leadership is treating the issue. His message was directed at all members of the force, not only those directly implicated in past cases.

For Ottawa residents, the chief's comments amount to an acknowledgement that tools meant for public protection — including access to personal information held in police databases — have been misused by some of the very officers entrusted with them.

The service has not said in the message how many officers are involved in the recent misconduct cases or what disciplinary outcomes, if any, have followed. No further details about specific cases were included in the report.