Key Takeaways:
- The OPP has launched an internal investigation into officers who appear to have given to the so-called Freedom Convoy.
- Neither force said how many cops would be dispatched to the nation’s capital.
The identities were purportedly leaked as part of a data breach that disclosed the names of people who donated to anti-mandate demonstrators through a GiveSendGo campaign.
In an email to Global News on Tuesday, Bill Dickson, an OPP spokeswoman, said that the force is “aware that members appear to have made donations that have gone toward” the demonstration in Ottawa.
“This problem has been brought to OPP Command’s notice, and the OPP Professional Standards Unit has begun an internal conduct inquiry into this situation,” Dickson said.
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“We cannot comment or guess on the investigation’s conclusion,” the email said.
On the other hand, Dickson stated that the force makes its personnel “accountable for their activities both on and off duty.”
In the email, Dickson stated, “They have a responsibility to exhibit impartiality and stay non-partisan.” “Any protest or statement of thoughts and beliefs that may be seen as supporting unlawful action goes against the OPP’s principles and mandate.”
“The OPP’s cornerstone is public trust and confidence,” Dickson stated.
The number of OPP members mentioned in the leak was not immediately known.
Meanwhile, Toronto police confirmed in an email to Global News on Tuesday that it was aware of two of its allegedly identified officers in the leak.
The police, however, stated that it would “not speculate” on the data’s integrity because it was “illegally collected.”
“We are aware of various lists in circulation that might be updated or manipulated,” the police stated.
“However, we have made two of the three names aware to our Professional Standards Unit, and it is being evaluated,” the email said.
Both the OPP and the Toronto police acknowledged to Global News over the weekend that some of their officers were being dispatched to Ottawa to assist with the policing of the protests.
Neither police force revealed how many officers would be sent to the nation’s capital.
Source: CTV News
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