Ottawa cop found guilty in domestic dispute back on active duty

An Ottawa police officer found guilty of threatening to kill a woman during a 2020 domestic dispute, while in possession of a kitchen knife, has resumed active duty, according to the Ottawa Police Association.

The crimes happened in late July that year, and Const. Yourik Brisebois was arrested 12 days later.

He was suspended with pay for 18months, from August 2020 to February 2022, according to Ottawa police. Suspensions without pay are not permittedby the OntarioPolice Services Act until after an officer has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment.

The act also gives police chiefs and police oversight boards the power to revoke suspensions as deemed appropriate, before any charges are dealt with in court.

Briseboiswas brought back to work more than a year before he was found guiltyand sentenced.He was given administrative duties upon his return, the police forcesaid,and has since been assigned to active duty, according to Matthew Cox, president of the Ottawa Police Association (theunion representing Ottawa police officers and civilians).

Pleaded not guilty

In December 2022, Brisebois pleaded not guilty on the first day of a two-day trial in Ottawa's Ontario Court of Justice, court records show.

On March 23,hewas found guilty of both chargesagainst him knowingly uttering a threat to cause deathand possessing a kitchen knife for the purpose of committing an offence by an out-of-town judge.(Criminal cases involving policeare handled by judges from other jurisdictions to prevent bias.)

On May 4, Justice JanetO'Brien gave Brisebois a conditional discharge, meaning he'll have no criminal record if he abides by the terms of a three-year probation order.

He must not contactthe victim, norpossessany weapons exceptthoserequired forpolicingand only during work hours, and must attendand actively participatein any programshe was ordered to complete, among other conditions.

Brisebois must also pay two victim surcharge fines totalling $200 within 60 days. The resolution of the case was first reported by The Ottawa Citizen.

Brisebois was represented by defence lawyer Sean May. In an email Monday, May said neither he nor his client would comment.

The Crown, Peter Napier, did not respond to a request for comment.

In 2020, Briseboisearned about $117,000, which lowered to about $114,000 in 2021, and in 2022 he earned about $127,000, according to Ontario's sunshine list, which names public sector employees paid more than $100,000 in any given year.

Now that his criminal matter has concluded, an internal investigation by the Professional Standards Unit is expected, Cox said.