December 8, 2014
An Ottawa police officer was demoted Monday for falsifying a report.
An Ottawa officer who falsified a police report so that he could let a shoplifting suspect go and flip him into a confidential informant was demoted Monday.
Const. Troy Forgie pleaded guilty to one count of neglect of duty and one count of discreditable conduct on Oct. 22.
In his report, Forgie misrepresented the actions of a loss-prevention officer to justify letting the suspect go without laying any charges. At Forgie’s disciplinary hearing Monday, adjudicator Supt. Dan Delaney said the loss-prevention officer correctly performed his duties despite Forgie’s report.
“Credibility is a cornerstone of public trust,” Delaney said. “Incidents like this erode that public trust.”
To Forgie’s credit, defence lawyer Bill Carroll pointed out in October, the suspect immediately began supplying the officer with information. Carroll said that Forgie’s actions weren’t carried out for any personal benefit, but were taken to further his policing and the intelligence gathered by the service. That the information came at the cost of a falsified police report was “misguided” and an “error in judgment,” Carroll said.
The defence and prosecution had submitted a joint-submission for the eight-month demotion to second-class constable, which comes with a pay cut. Delaney agreed.
The adjudicator said that despite the transgression Forgie can resume being a valuable member of the police force with the right guidance and mentoring.
Forgie has been an officer since 2005. He has no previous disciplinary record.