The lack of transparency concerns criminal defense lawyer Michael Spratt.
“This is the type of institutional behaviour that sows mistrust in the police. This isn’t a teenager that stole his parent’s car and gets grounded,” Spratt said.
The effectiveness of police testimony is built on their credibility as a “truth teller,” he added.
“It’s the lie that’s worse than the lapse in judgement,” Spratt said. “You and I don’t have the power to use force or to present information that can incarcerate people.”
Spratt pointed out that he’s represented clients who have been charged with obstruction for lying to police. He urged Ottawa police to investigate the matter through their professional standards section and delve deeper to see if the incident reflects a pattern of behaviour.
“It needs to be aired,” he said. “Light and transparency is the best disinfectant to questions about institutional professionalism.”
Read the full article at: CBC
