OTTAWA -- UPDATE: The charges against a 28-year-old man identified in this article were later withdrawn. His name has been removed from the story.
Ottawa police say OC Transpo special constables are credited with the arrests of two men suspected of hate crimes in the city.
In a press release, police said all OC Transpo special constables received hate crime and hate incident training from the Ottawa police hate crime unit in early 2020.
Police said there have been several hate symbols and comments written or otherwise displayed at OC Transpo stations across the city lately, with one found most recently on July 22.
On July 29, Ottawa police said special constables arrested one 28-year-old man suspected of committing three such incidents. He was charged with three counts of mischief. Those charges were later withdrawn.
Police also said special constables helped locate a man wanted in connection with an alleged hate-motivated incident on Rideau Street on July 13.
Shane Arcand, 45, is facing one mischief charge.
Anyone with information regarding a hate crime is asked to contact Detective Ali Toghrol at 613-236-1222, ext. 5015.
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca.
