THUNDER BAY – A 30-year Thunder Bay police officer is remorseful and takes responsibility for a “stupid response” on social media about the city’s Indigenous community, his lawyer said at a disciplinary hearing.
Thunder Bay Police Service Const. Rob Steudle on Thursday pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act for a series of Facebook comments posted in September 2016 in reply to a newspaper letter to the editor by Nishnawbe Aski Nation grand chief Alvin Fiddler.
Hearing adjudicator Morris Elbers indicated he would accept a joint submission that would dock Steudle 40 hours of pay.
“I’d like to express how remorseful I am for my conduct. I understand the seriousness of my conduct and I ensure it will not happen again,” Steudle said, while also apologizing to members of the police service, Fiddler and the citizens of Thunder Bay.
Fiddler had responded to a previous newspaper editorial which had defended the police service against claims made by another local media outlet alleging officers had been abusive to a facilitator leading an Indigenous cultural sensitivity training session. The grand chief accused the newspaper and police of justifying the actions of the officers.
Steudle used his personal Facebook account to post “give your head a shake Alvin Fiddler I think it’s too foggy to see the truth” before entering into a direct argument with another user.
“Natives killing natives and it’s the white man’s fault natives are drunk on the street and its white mans fault natives are homeless,” a portion of the post reads, which also accused “natives of lying about how they were treated by white men.”
“Well lets stop giving the natives money and see how that goes.”
Steudle had been suspended with pay starting on Sept. 30, 2016 and returned to work the week of Dec. 12, 2016. Four other officers had been temporarily placed on administrative duties. Police chief J.P. Levesque had made a formal request to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director to conduct an investigation.
Joanne Mulcahy, who represented Steudle, said the comments did not intend to discriminate.
“Const. Steudle wishes he had never pushed the button,” Mulcahy said.
The officer had been upset by what Mulcahy described as a provocative response by Fiddler, as well as about accusations of racism against the police.
Mulcahy said Steudle immediately expressed remorse and sought counselling through an Indigenous social worker and undertook a training course from a former Indigenous police officer. He also requested to meet with Fiddler but that offer was not accepted.
Police lawyer Holly Walbourne said the comments were “not acceptable and cannot be tolerated.”
“This conduct worsens the relationship between police and the Indigenous community,” Walbourne said.
Steudle’s 30-year policing career included stints as a team lead for the emergency task unit, neighbourhood officer for the south core and school resource officer. The 50-year-old had no prior disciplinary record and had been awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and received a 20-year exemplary service medal. He had also served as a coach officer and had been an instructor for the police foundations program at Confederation College.
Mulcahy said the notoriety of the incident should serve as a general deterrent to other officers.
“They’ve seen what he’s gone through,” Mulcahy said.
Elbers said there is an expectation for officers to have thicker skins and are expected to uphold high standards, both on and off duty. He described Steudle as a hardworking officer, dedicated to his service and programs in which he is involved.
“You do one thing wrong and that’s the thing that sticks,” Elbers said.
