KJ Mullins-Toronto: The adage one bad apple spoils the whole barrel is very true when you look at ‘bully’ cops. While they are a small percentage of any police service their actions can cloud the way the public views their officers.

During the #copchat on Twitter on July 25 the issue of bully cops came up. When the police officers in the chat room were asked about how they feel about bullies,  those cops in their service who use their badge as a way of intimidation,  the comments came strong and hard. It is clear that the police dislike bully cops even more than the community at large. Good cops hate having to work with someone that bullies the public. These bullies not only make the work day horrible but they put the entire service at risk.

Sgt. Tim Burrows said, “If public knows of a bully cop, report them to a supervisor, complaint system, etc. I don’t want those people giving me a bad name.”

Kim Wosnick tweeted, “Bully cops and rule breakers give all a bad rep and destroy police-community relations. Need solutions.”

When the police know of a bully cop they work to weed them out of the service. Bully cops are known to break down community bridges far more quickly than any positive programs can build them up.  The services also want the public to report bad cops. While in time most bully cops will be found sometimes they can hide their actions from the powers that be for some time. When their actions in the community are reported by the residents then investigations can begin.

If you know of a cop that is a bully the police want to be aware of what you have observed. In Toronto there are two ways of doing that. The best way is to report it to the OCPC,  an independent oversight agency committed to serving the public by ensuring that adequate and effective policing services are provided to the community in a fair and accountable manner under the Ontario Police Services Act.  Another way to report bully cops is by going to your local Division and putting in a written complaint. Both of these ways will be investigated.