Cobourg Police Officer charged

Today Cobourg Police issued a Press Release stating that Cobourg Constable Amy Matthijsse has been charged with 19 counts of Discreditable Conduct contrary to the Police Services Act of the Schedule “Code of Conduct” – that is “willfully or negligently makes any false complaint or statement against any member of a police force”.  The statement by Acting Inspector Jeff Sheils of Cobourg Police said that “after a lengthy investigation, conducted by an independent external law firm, and reviewed by the Durham Regional Police Service’s Professional Standards Section, a Constable with twelve years of experience has been charged under the Police Services Act.”

The Release also said that:

This first appearance was held today (July 20, 2018) at the Best Western Hotel in Cobourg.  The next appearance is scheduled for September 7, 2018.

There will be no further comments made in relation to this matter at this time.

There is no further information available from the Police but Pete Fisher at Today’s Northumberland was at the hearing  at 10:00 am at the Best Western and provided details.  He reported on who was at the hearing and included details of the charges.  It seems Amy criticized multiple Police Officers for harassment (including the Chief) although most of her complaints were said to be false.

See Pete Fisher’s Article with details of the charges here.

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Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Hmmmmm.
Hope we get the full story of this soon.
A 12-year veteran constable and a mother of six makes 19 complaints of harassment against fellow officers, the Chief and the Deputy-Chief.
The complaints lead to a lengthy – how lengthy? – investigation by a law firm – a law firm?
Does Ontario not have the ‘Office of the Independent Police Review Director’ to handle such complaints?
And would a speedy resolution of this situation not be best for the morale of the Cobourg Police Department?
Just askin’.

Tim
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

And you’re right to ask. Never mind the morale of the Cobourg Police Department, what about the morale of the taxpayers of Cobourg?

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

The CTA worries about taxpayers’ morale. That’s their ‘mission’.
http://cobourgtaxpayers.ca/campaigns-issues/155-protection-services-issue-police-and-fire
Anything ever come of it, or just hot air?
And police morale is a problem not just in Cobourg and in Canada, but across North America.
“Under increased scrutiny, more officers across Canada are forgoing proactive policing: report.”
https://globalnews.ca/news/4024003/police-officers-canada-proactive-policing/

Tim
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

When I was a boy, it was common to see a policeman walking a beat every night down the main street and then behind the stores where he would check every door and every yard. People felt secure just knowing he was there doing his job. And, if you phoned a policeman, they would actual get there in a matter of minutes, not hours.
A few years ago a friend of mine called the police about some vandalism that had just happened to his property. An officer arrived an hour and a half after the call and his reason for being late was that there were only three officers on duty at night, which struck me as rather amusing since, the night before, three policeman were at Tim Horton’s while I was there and I remember thinking they were having a rather long coffee break.
Things have become infinitely worse since then. The Cobourg Police Force gave up proactive policing years ago and not because they are under increased scrutiny. They’re not under any scrutiny at all. They are answerable to no one. Their salaries are outrageous. They are rude, local aristocrats who very often aren’t even up to following protocol.
But they know if they turn up grinning at festivals or back local ‘charities’ that’s enough to win over many people in town.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Anecdotes, probably freely invented and mud.
Next time you are in trouble, call the CTA.

Tim
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Anecdotes for sure but truthful ones. Invention isn’t necessary. Should I need the police in the future, I’ll be calling the OPP.

cornbread
5 years ago

Wow…how many thousands of dollars is this one going to cost our small town of Cobourg? Is this one a “suspended with pay” situation? Are the lawyers charging over $500 per hour for their services? and seriously, why is Cobourg sending an officer on an expense paid trip to participate in the Ottawa Gay Pride Parade? Perhaps Cobourg needs and Auditor General.

Tim
Reply to  cornbread
5 years ago

The people of Cobourg deserve to know the answers to your very important questions. We have a police force that is out of control. There are too many expense paid trips, They’ve all become overpaid non-performers and under the “leadership” of Chief Liu their concentration is on public relations instead of fighting crime.

manfred s
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

just curious as to your facts re “too many expense paid trips”. Could you elaborate, perhaps, with enough examples to justify “too many”?

Tim
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

ONE, is too many.

Kyle
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Don’t forget the paid trip to Cleveland when they ignored the Chris Garret Memorial.

https://www.todaysnorthumberland.ca/2018/05/23/lets-get-back-to-fighting-crime/

cornbread
Reply to  Kyle
5 years ago

A few years ago there were 5 Cobourg officers that attended the funeral of the Moncton officers that were killed in the line of duty. By size ratio, did Toronto sent 700 Officers to Moncton? Did they send 700 to Cleveland? Me thinks that Cobourg over does it at times.

Kyle
Reply to  cornbread
5 years ago

What a complete embarrassment to the Community. The last time as I recall the price tag for one of these cost in the area of $500,000 all in and interestingly enough a then Cst Brent Allison was one of the officers involved and pleaded guilty.
https://www.northumberlandnews.com/news-story/3772881-cobourg-officer-pleads-guilty-to-discreditable-conduct/

Looks like the public relations balloon has a big hole in it. They might have to sell the kilts to pay for this one.

Tim
Reply to  Kyle
5 years ago

Thank you for reminding everyone of this most disgraceful episode in Cobourg policing. I believe the two officers were suspended with pay while they awaited their hearings. A nice long vacation at taxpayer’s expense. To read this account, you’d think Cst Brent Allison had been taken hostage while his pal got a blow job. They were both complicit and they both should have been fired immediately.

Albert
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Constable Allison received his demotion at the time and has worked his way up again to Staff Sergeant.
Admirable.

ben burd
Reply to  Albert
5 years ago

“corrective discipline” obviously worked for him

Tim
Reply to  ben burd
5 years ago

It worked for him all right, but I wouldn’t characterize it as “discipline” and I wouldn’t say it worked for the people of Cobourg. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t like the idea of a young woman, who was drunk and asked for a ride home, being so grossly taken advantage of by the very people who are paid to protect her.
What I find most surprising is that not one of the women — the politically-correct sisterhood, the self-righteous feminists — who regularly comment on this blog and who are so indignant when a man suggests that it would be nice to see a woman run for mayor, has said a single word on this subject.