Amending Human Nature

That's a tough one.  Police brutality does occur, even in Ottawa, the nation's capital.  There are encounters that occur that fail to honour the social attributes of courtesy and civility at all times.  There are times when encounters are of a nature that present a real challenge to the need to be civil.  And it would certainly appear that the trial of Sgt. Steven Desjourdy on a charge of jail sex assault in September 2008 might represent one of those challenges.

Two police officers in a squad car around Rideau Street noticed a young woman walking in an uncertain manner.  She approached a few men, then walked off.  The police intervened to ask her a few questions, ran her name through their files, and informed her she was free to leave.  She did that, then turned back to persistently demand to know why she had been stopped to begin with.  According to police, she was aggressive and appeared inebriated.

Wayne Cuddington, Ottawa Citizen  Stacy Bonds

 

That was the point when she was handcuffed, introduced to the interior of a police car, and driven to a downtown police station.  Stacy Bonds was then 27, gainfully employed as a theatrical make-up artist, had no criminal record.  A slight woman, she is also wiry, and strong.  Both physically and strong-willed, refusing to submit to a police search in a cellblock.  She resisted the routine check being undertaken by a female police officer.

In the process of resisting, Ms. Bonds mule-kicked the officer several times and caused pain and injury.  At which point the police officer in charge of the cell block entered along with a few other officers and Sgt. Steven Desjourdy took charge of the incident which he described as 'getting out of hand'.  He did that by helping to subdue Ms. Bonds, and by scissoring her shirt and bra to cut them off her so, he explained, she could be physically examined as per procedure.

In the process, Ms. Bonds was, to say the least, subdued.  She was also humiliated, and poorly treated.  Any young woman who finds herself in the situation of being surrounded by obviously businesslike/hostile/neutral peace officers would feel both offended and embarrassed to become the object of their attention and unwanted ministrations, which included a very intimate body search.

The cellblock video of what transpired with this slightly-built, lightweight woman being surrounded by physically superior specimens and treated to some pretty rough handling, enraged the public when it was revealed through an airing of the video on various news channels and stills reproduced in newspaper articles about the incident.

What resulted, apart from public condemnation was an investigation by the SIU, and then a court case where Sgt. Desjourdy was charged with sex assault.  Other officers have testified, but Sgt. Desjourdy has decided, along with his lawyer, that he would not.  The Crown, which laid the charges against him, has the onus under the law of proving their charge; Sgt. Desjourdy is not charged with the duty to prove his innocence.

It is clear that Sgt. Desjourdy made some split-second decisions that might not have been wise, under the circumstances.  Among them his decision to give his full attention to other routine matters, including ensuring medical assistance for special constable Melanie Morris whom Ms. Bonds had injured, preferring to leave the then-subdued Ms. Bonds partially naked, cowering in a corner of a jail cell. That decision may have been motivated by spite.

Ms. Bonds had, after all, made for a very difficult night for a short while in her refusal to cooperate in a routine procedure to which her conduct had made her susceptible.  Ms. Bonds suffered a truly unfortunate consequence of her decision to drink somewhat to excess and to wander about late at night on Rideau Street, choosing to confront two constables who were diligently doing their duty.

There are two issues here; that citizens have an obligation to behave intelligently and in full control of their behaviour in a public venue; and that officers of the peace have a professional duty to ensure that safety and security of persons prevail in the pursuit of their careers.  In this unfortunate instance, two people made unworthy and troublesome decisions; first Ms. Bonds, and then Sgt. Desjourdy.

Ms. Bonds made a public spectacle of herself, placing herself in potential danger when not in full possession of her faculties.  And Sgt. Desjourdy brought a modicum of disgrace upon himself while discharging his duties and succumbing to human irritation when dealing with an unruly prisoner.  If society is so willing and eager to pardon Ms. Bonds, we should be equally willing to do the same for Sgt. Desjourdy.

The role of the police is a difficult one.  They come counter to many instances of grievous public and criminal activities.  Theirs is a dangerous profession, one on which the greater society relies for peace and security.  The prosecution of Sgt. Desjourdy has turned into a persecutory vendetta.  And that's too bad.