Ottawa's police chief has assigned a staff sergeant to review any other video that may exist showing police officers using excessive force against prisoners similar to the actions seen in two videos released to the media in the last two weeks.
The staff sergeant tasked with reviewing previous incidents previously worked in the professional standards unit and will report directly to the chief.
We will be "looking at historical issues, which will include any video footage," Chief Vern White told reporters at a media conference on Thursday.
White has also asked the Crown to advise him if they know of any other video that shows excessive police actions.
Public criticism of the police force has reached new heights after court released a video showing a young woman struggling with Ottawa police officers while in custody.
Stacy Bonds, a theatrical make-up artist, was kneed in the back by Special Const. Melanie Morris and then pinned to the ground by a group of other officers. Her shirt and bra were later cut off by Sgt. Steve Desjourdy. The case is now before Ontario's Special Investigations Unit.
Another video released Wednesday showed officers dragging Terry Delay, a homeless man, into a cell. Morris is then seen kicking him.
Bonds' lawyer used the video as evidence in the case against his client to show another example of excessive police force. Both Bonds and Delay were charged with assaulting police. Charges against Bonds were thrown out, while a judge stayed charges against Delay.
Since both cases became public, police have received hundreds of complaints. The police chief briefed Ottawa's new mayor, Jim Watson, on the case on Thursday.
Despite public criticism, the police chief says it's not fair to paint every officer with the same brush.
"When an officer mentions they are embarrassed to represent us because of what people say to them, that makes it very difficult on morale for all of us," White said.
"We will hold people to account who need to be held to account, but it's unfair to hold those to account who shouldn't be for the actions of others."
However, the head of the police union says some officers think support from leadership has been too slow.
"I'm glad that something is being said by leadership, but I think its a case that the barn doors are closed and all the horses are gone, so maybe too little, too late to satisfy the needs of our membership," Steve Boucher said in an interview with CTV Ottawa.
He adds that reputations have been ruined and community policing has suffered as a result.
"I think it's been damaged so severely that at least for some in the community it's going to take years to regain confidence in the police," he said.
The police chief has ordered a review of the force's detention policies. Police units will also be briefed about when it's acceptable to make an arrest for public intoxication and when it's appropriate to strip search a suspect.
White held the media conference on Thursday to address public concern before he leaves town on Friday to get married in Finland, his wife-to-be's native country.
He wants to assure residents that he's not running away from public criticism. Rather, he wants people to know the trip is of a personal nature, and it's not sudden.
In White's absence, Deputy Chief Gilles Larochelle will step in to keep the community informed.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Kate Eggins