Ottawa police officer demoted for 14 months for shoplifting groceries from Gatineau, Que. store

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An Ottawa police officer has been demoted for 14 months after pleading guilty to misconduct for stealing $87 worth of groceries from a Gatineau, Que. grocery store.

Const. Sarah Bell entered a guilty plea for discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act last month. In the penalty decision issued on Feb. 7, retired Supt. Chris Renwick demoted Const. Bell from the rank of First Class Constable to the rank of Second Class Constable for 14 months.

Bell was shopping at a grocery store while off duty on July 13, 2021.

According to an agreed statement of facts, the loss prevention officer conducting a routine visual scan of the surveillance system observed that Bell did not appear to be scanning the items correctly at the self-checkout machine.

"The LPO noted that Const. Bell took one item in her right hand and another in her left hand, proceeded to scan the item in her left hand, but not the item in her right hand," the statement said. "Const. Bell then placed the items into her bin as if they had both been scanned. The LPO observed that Const. Bell was not scanning various items."

Bell paid for the items she scanned and headed towards the exit, where the security officer arrested her, the statement said. Bell identified herself as an Ottawa police officer.

Bell paid for $87.46 worth of groceries and did not pay for an additional $87.68 worth of items, the loss prevention officer concluded. Gatineau police officers were called to the store.

The agreed statement of facts says Gatineau's Crown Office recommended Bell face one count of theft under $5,000. Following court appearances, the Crown's Office decided the file would be referred to the Alternative Measures Program, and the charge was dismissed after Bell carried out the required conditions.

The Professional Standards Section says during an interview in October, Bell admitted she, "purposely failed to scan several items at the self-checkout machine … and made no attempts to pay for these items before leaving the store."

A joint submission from the Ottawa Police Association and the prosecution recommended the 14-month demotion. According to the decision on deposition and penalty, Bell had no prior incidents of misconduct on her record.

Bell has been a police officer with the Ottawa Police Service since 2018.