A disgraced Guelph police officer who was ordered to quit or be fired by a professional tribunal last month remains with the force … at least for now.
Const. Corey McArthur has filed an appeal with the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC), which essentially puts a hold on the sentence handed down by Police Services Act (PSA) hearing officer Terence Kelly, a retired deputy chief with York Regional Police, on Oct. 26.
Resulting from a 2016 assault on a teenager handcuffed to a hospital bed, the sentence gave the constable seven days to resign or be dismissed from the force.
McArthur, who joined Guelph police in 2001, has been on paid leave since 2016.
Guelph police spokesperson Scott Tracey confirmed a sentencing appeal has been filed but said he couldn’t provide additional comment.
Prior to pleading guilty to discreditable conduct under the PSA, McArthur pleaded guilty to a criminal assault charge stemming from the incident in 2018. He received a conditional discharge, three years of probation and was ordered to perform 240 hours of community service.
The discipline hearing, which launched in 2020 following McArthur’s guilty plea to discreditable conduct, was held to determine if McArthur would lose his job with Guelph police, as lawyers for the force argued, or be allowed to return to work in some capacity, as urged by the Guelph Police Association.
Efforts to reach the OCPC for comment about the appeal process weren’t immediately successful.
According to its website, the OCPC has the ability to “confirm, vary or revoke” a hearing officer’s decision, make a ruling of its own or order a new hearing.
On its website, the OCPC is described as an “independent, quasi-judicial agency” which hears appeals, adjudicates applications, conducts investigations and resolves disputes regarding the oversight and provision of police services.
