OTTAWA -- An Ottawa police officer who pleaded guilty to five charges of uttering threats and assault relating to four different women has been sentenced to probation and has resigned from the force.
Following a joint proposal by the Defence and the Crown, Justice Robert Wadden sentenced Eric Post Thursday to a suspended sentence of three years of non-reporting probation—the maximum allowed by law in this case—with the requirement that he keep the peace and be of good behavior; appear in court if required and not to communicate with the victims or members of their immediate families.
Three victim impact statements were filed with the court.
“I would fear going out for recess duty… walking to my driveway… even walking to my mailbox…or fear he would set my house on fire,” said one woman in the statement read in court.
“After my relationship with Eric Post I had to slowly rebuild … relationships that were lost due to his control,” a statement read.
While delivering the sentence, Justice Wadden said not only had Post breached the trust victims had placed in him, his actions were also a “breach of the trust that the community had placed in him… a breach of his responsibility.” Wadden also said, “I give him credit for acknowledging his guilt.”
Post will also be banned from possessing any weapons for 10 years, must provide a DNA sample and not attempt to find work as a peace officer anywhere in Canada.
Wadden took into account the 14 days Post served in solitary confinement after he was arrested.
Post resigned as an officer on Wednesday. As a result, he won’t face any internal investigation that was to begin following the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
In a statement on Thursday, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said the service had intended to pursue disciplinary charges with the goal to terminate his employment.
“There is no place in the OPS or in the policing profession for such people and we are actively taking steps to root them out while remediating the harm they have caused to our community and our Service,” Sloly said.
On behalf of the OPS, I want to recognize the victimization and resulting trauma caused by Post to all his survivors,” he said, also thanking the women who came forward to report Post’s crimes.
Sloly said police are conducting a “full internal review of everything associated to this case” with the goal of better preventing such circumstances from happening again.
Post had faced a total of 32 charges including assault, sexual assault, forcible confinement, criminal harassment and assault with a weapon but they were withdrawn by the Crown.
This is a breaking news story and it will be updated.
