THUNDER BAY – Images have emerged that appear to show a Thunder Bay Police Service officer guarding the scene of a sudden death at Thunder Bay’s Marina Park, allowing a bride to take photos in a marked police car.
The images were posted on social media on Saturday.
According to the person who posted the photos, he and his daughter went to Marina Park to pay their respects to the sudden death victim, who he said was his daughter’s best friend. He also noted that the deceased woman was indigenous.
Upon arriving at the scene, where three marked police cars and two unmarked vehicles were monitoring the scene, the man said he witnessed police taking pictures in front of the crime scene, noting that everyone was laughing.
“I’m fed up with the Thunder Bay Police for not showing respect. I told him [I] I got it all on video and I’ve never seen a police officer so embarrassed and he just said, ‘I’m so sorry, sir.’ The wedding party just stopped laughing.”
A Thunder Bay police spokesman said there was no foul play.
“We understand that the bride was related to a retired TBPS officer. It was an impromptu situation where the bride approached the officer and asked to have her picture taken in the cruiser. It was not intended to cause humiliation or disrespect to anyone or the scene that is still being held,” Chris Adams said Monday in an emailed statement.
Thunder Bay police have been accused of systemic racism in reports filed by both the Ontario Citizens’ Police Commission (OCPC) and Senator Murray Sinclair. As a result, several homicide investigations involving Indigenous victims were ordered to be re-investigated.
In recent months, a number of human rights complaints have been filed against the Thunder Bay Police Services Board and police management. In addition, Thunder Bay Police Chief Sylvie Haut is also currently suspended, facing allegations of misconduct brought by the OCPC.
TBNewswatch has reached out to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board seeking comment, but has not yet heard back.
— TBNewswatch.com
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