(Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar in a Facebook photo)
APTN National News
An Ottawa police sergeant is facing two charges of discreditable conduct following an investigation into racist online comments posted in response to a story about Inuit artist Annie Pootoogook.
Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar will appear in court on Nov. 1, APTN National News confirmed Sunday.
Hrnchiar was charged with two charges of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act.
The charges followed an investigation by the professional standards section of the Ottawa police service.
For more on the investigation into the comments and Annie Pootoogook’s death click here
The investigation was triggered by Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau following a complaint from Veldon Coburn, who is the adoptive father of Pootoogook’s four year-old daughter.
Coburn said he was pleased to know the Ottawa police acted on this issue.
“It is heartening that Chief Bordeleau recognizes this and has taken the sort of action that protects the integrity of justice, but also the public opinion of the staff and the force that is at his command,” said Coburn, in a statement.
Bordeleau told APTN last week he believed Hrnchiar’s comments were racist.
The comments were posted by Hrnchiar through Facebook in response to an Ottawa Citizen story about Pootoogook’s death.
They were posted several days after she was found in the Rideau River on Sept. 19.
Hrnchiar posted that Pootoogook’s death “could be a suicide, accidental, she got drunk and fell in the river and drowned, who knows.” He also wrote that” much of the Aboriginal population in Canada is just satisfied being alcohol or drug abusers.”
Ottawa police detectives continue to investigate Pootoogook’s death which they now determine was suspicious after initially stating no foul play was suspected.
I am glad that The Ottawa Police Department have Mr. Charles Bordeleau as Chief, otherwise this racist Chris Hrnchia, would have gone unpunished.
” much of the Aboriginal population in Canada is just satisfied being alcohol or drug abusers.”
Obviously Ms. Annie Pootoogook was NOT “just satisfied being alcohol or drug (abusers.”) abuse, Ms. Annie Pootoogook is an award winner and a famous Artist, unlike the racist, women hater, loser Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar.
I hope that this is just the beginning The Ottawa Police Department Obviously is in need of a good cleaning up to get rid of racists and women haters.
Thank you very much,Chief Charles Bordeleau,
so what happened to the poor women? let us investigate for the sake of all canadians
The sergeant is only charged of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act. This mean, he’s not charged under the criminal code, for a hate crime. I’ve seen Ottawa Police attempting to fabricated a hate crime charge, because a white person told a cop , she may overheard a member of a visible minority saying the N word to a black person, who’s not corroborating what she was saying. Police Services Act, means no judge, victim’s lawyer, crown or media are allowed to be there. There’s no way for the victims to have justice, and the whole crime will be swept under the carpet when the focus and attention on the racism of the Ottawa Police dies away. The usual punishment under the police act is docked pay for few days.
Sure, they continue to investigate Pootoogook’s death, until they’re sure no one else is asking about what really was the cause of her death, even after two autopsies.
was charged.
“Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar will appear in court on Nov. 1, APTN National News confirmed Sunday.
Hrnchiar was charged with two charges of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act.
The charges followed an investigation by the professional standards section of the Ottawa police service.”
And the investigation is not finish as yet.
The Police also should investigate who is selling her work of Art, etc. Once the artist is dead, and more a famous Artist like “Ms. Annie Pootoogook” her work of Art value increases many times over.