MANDEL: When will TPS take sexual harassment seriously?

Get the latest from Michele Mandel straight to your inbox

Published Dec 03, 2024 • Last updated Dec 04, 2024 • 3 minute read

Toronto Police Const. Usman Haroon is pictured in a photo taken from the media centre section of the Toronto Police Service's website. Photo by www.tps.ca/media-centre /Toronto Sun

According to this Toronto cop, placing his hand on the buttocks of a young female officer wasn’t sexual and all he deserves is a light tap on his wallet.

Story continues below

The bad news for Const. Usman Haroon was that his unwanted touching of his partner’s behind was captured on surveillance video inside the CAMH elevator they were exiting on that November day in 2015.

But fortunately for the cop who has been suspended with pay since 2017, his guilty plea to that misconduct was followed by a whole slew of other charges being withdrawn — including allegations that he placed his hand on her upper leg and moved her hand to his groin while in a police car.

“I am not seeking dismissal today, but in cases like this, the choice to violate a person’s sexual autonomy, especially that of a fellow officer, anything short of demotion cannot be considered to be appropriate,” prosecutor Mattison Chinneck told his penalty hearing.

Story continues below

Yet, he called for just a six-month demotion.

“It’s important to remember that we live in a time where equality should be the norm and expected in the workplace, and it certainly should be free of harassment.”

But Haroon’s fiery lawyer Harry Black took great umbrage at the suggestion that his client was guilty of sexual harassment.

“There is no allegation here that the touching was for a sexual purpose or was sexually motivated,” Black fumed. “He’s not charged with it. And the statement of fact alleges simply an unwanted physical contact.”

Recommended video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

He insisted this exemplary officer has suffered enough with his career stalled for years while on paid suspension.

“PC Haroon is an excellent police officer. He is held in high regard by his peers and supervisors. He has set and maintains a very high work performance standard,” Black told hearing officer, Insp. Suzanne Redman.

Story continues below

“This has given a body blow to his career. He was headed for great things. He was headed for investigative work. And from there, who knows, for someone who was as hard-working and resourceful as he was?”

Black urged the hearing inspector to dock him just five days pay. What a shocking and insulting penalty that would be.

This wasn’t the first time Haroon’s been in trouble for his conduct toward a female colleague.

In January 2023, he was found guilty under the Police Act of punching a fellow officer in the arm when she wouldn’t follow his driving directions to a Greek restaurant back in 2009. In her testimony, she said she’d put up with Haroon’s sexual “gutter talk” and his touching her behind, though she’d angrily told him to cut it out, but the assault went too far.

Story continues below

Haroon was also charged with slapping her butt, but was acquitted.

“We see parallels with that case in which a female co-worker was inappropriately touched,” Chinneck said of the punch. “Both demonstrate undertones of disrespect towards female officers.”

He asked Redman to send a clear message to Haroon and others at TPS “that breaching the sexual autonomy of a fellow member cannot stand and will not be tolerated.”

Because what they’ve been doing until now hasn’t done much.

“General deterrence isn’t working,” the prosecutor said. “We’ve got a litany of instances of touching genitals or inappropriately touching the buttocks or breasts of fellow officers. It’s not slowing down; it’s not stopping.”

In 2020, former constable Heather McWilliam won a landmark human rights award of $85,000 for enduring a poisoned work environment and sexual harassment. Reached by email, she said there must be a “firm zero-tolerance stance.”

Story continues below

“This is another case that highlights the need for stronger leadership and protections for women in the force, as any failure to address such behavior sends a dangerous message that violence and abuse is being tolerated,” she said.

So please spare us the neanderthal defence that touching a woman’s derriere is much ado about nothing.

“Buttocks is a known sexual area,” Chinneck said. “If touching the buttocks of a junior officer intentionally in a public place isn’t considered to be sexual harassment based on the Supreme Court of Canada definition, then I would struggle to find an instance that would.”

So would we.

How seriously does TPS take sexual harassment? We’ll have to wait and see: Redman has reserved her decision.

mmandel@postmedia.com

You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.

Create an Account

Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.