Police agency rips city politician over social media posts about homeless

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A city politician who’s faced scrutiny over social media posts about homelessness is once again under fire, this time from the Ontario Civilian Police Commission.

Its review of complaints made against Stevenson, done in the context of her role as one of two city council members appointed to the board overseeing London police, stopped short of a full-blown probe but strongly criticized her posts.

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“Your conduct falls well short of the standard of conduct expected of members of police services boards,” writes Sean Weir, executive chair of Tribunals Ontario and chair of the police commission.

“You are cautioned that the code of conduct requires a higher standard for members of a police services board, and that social media posts can bring your compliance with the code of conduct into question.”

The commission is a quasi-judicial agency whose duties include fielding public complaints. Its review of Stevenson’s posts singled out a handful that were of “particular concern,” including:

• Referring to addicts as “junkies”
• Posting photos of homeless people without their permission
• Suggesting people have committed crimes
• And “reinforcing stereotypes” of people with addictions as violent, criminals, and choosing to be homeless and addicted.

Weir notes in the report the review couldn’t comb through all of Stevenson’s social media posts, adding that the volume “suggests care and restraint were not exercised” before posting.

According to the findings, Stevenson, a city council rookie, responded twice to the commission, asserting that her views of homelessness are a political position as a city councillor, not as a police board member. Stevenson also noted she didn’t refer to “junkies” herself, but shared an article that did.

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In response, Weir said that once on the police board, members must ensure the public’s respect for the police is held “to the highest level possible.” He added that “denigrating language” whether quoted directly or not discredits the integrity of the police board.

On the posting of photos of homeless people without permission, Weir wrote that it “does not inspire public confidence in your abilities and integrity as a member of the London police services board.”

Stevenson was reprimanded by her city council colleagues in December for the same kinds of social media posts. Council’s integrity watchdog called the posts “unnecessarily provocative.”

In May, Stevenson told The Free Press she planned to appeal the formal reprimand to Ontario’s ombudsman, arguing the watchdog’s probe wasn’t properly done. All the photos cited by Weir and the integrity commissioner can still be found on her X profile.

Weir cited one post that featured a photo of a homeless person with a shopping cart and included Stevenson asking where the supports are for that person as well as the business that “supplies” the cart and its contents’ “previous owner.”

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The commission rejected her argument that the post was about supports for businesses that donate carts or belongings to homeless people.

“The clear implication of your post, especially the use of quotes, is that there is a business whose cart has been stolen, and there is a rightful owner of the contents of the cart, who is not the unhoused individual,” Weir writes.

The report encouraged Stevenson to reflect and “do better in your role as a public leader in police services” in London.

Stevenson indicated she plans to issue a response to the report’s findings at some point Wednesday.

jmoulton@postmedia.com
@jackmoulton65

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