Photo radar and red light cameras catch dozens of Ottawa police officers in first 3 months of 2024
Photo radar and red light cameras caught dozens of Ottawa police officers in the first three months of the year, as police see a rise in driving-related complaints about their officers.
A report for the Ottawa Police Services Board shows there were 112 driving-related complaints involving officers in the first three months of the year, compared to 78 driving-related complaints in the first quarter of 2023.
Officers received 75 tickets for speeding through the automated enforcement camera program and 12 tickets for running red lights from red light cameras in the January to March period. There have also been 25 internal complaints related to collisions involving Ottawa police officers this year, according to the report.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
An internal complaint is launched when a red light camera or photo radar ticket is issued to the Ottawa Police Service.
For the full year in 2023, there were 187 internal complaints related to photo radar camera tickets and 82 complaints linked to red light camera infractions. In 2022, there were 79 red light camera and 189 photo radar camera violations involving police officers.
The rise in internal complaints related to photo radar and red light camera infractions comes as the city of Ottawa continues to expand the automated speed enforcement camera program, with plans for up to 60 cameras by the end of the year.
An internal complaint is initiated at the discretion of the chief of the Ottawa Police Service for allegations of misconduct or non-compliance, and may include driving-related matters.
"In 2021, the OPS updated its process to deal with driving-related complaints including a robust progressive discipline schedule," the report says.
Chief Eric Stubbs told reporters last year that Ottawa police have a "triage sort of process" to understand what the officer was doing at the time of the photo radar or red light camera infraction, and then a "determination is made on what path to go from that conclusion." An officer is responsible for paying the fine if warranted.
Ottawa police told CTV News Ottawa in February that 85 tickets issued to officers by photo radar cameras in 2023 involved an officer on a call for service, while 62 tickets for red light camera infractions were issued to officers responding to a call.
The report shows there were 199 conducted related complaints about officers in the first quarter of 2024, up from 168 internal complaints during the same period last year. Driving related complaints made up the majority of the internal complaints, followed by 60 complaints for improper conduct and 17 for neglect of duty.
Staff say of the 82 complaints received by the public in the first three months of the year, 29 were referred to the OPS Professional Standards Unit for investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment charity and beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch's own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.
A group of Toronto tenants have been on a rent strike for a year and say there's no resolution in sight
Dozens of tenants in Toronto's Thorncliffe Park area have now been withholding their rent for one year, and it’s unclear when the dispute will end.
U.K. police arrest man wielding a sword in east London, 5 people are taken to the hospital
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and two police officers on Tuesday in the east London community of Hainault before being arrested, police said.
Archeologists search for remnants of Halifax's 250-year-old wall that surrounded the city
Archeologist Jonathan Fowler is using ground-penetrating radar to search for historic evidence of the massive wall that surrounded Halifax more than 250 years ago.