OTTAWA POLICE CHIEF FAFFING ABOUT

Let’s summarize the situation with the Ottawa police. Almost six years ago, an external study said sexual harassment on the job was a major problem. This month, another major external study said sexual harassment was a still a problem and one that requires “urgent and immediate attention.”

Faced with this internal crisis, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly has proposed a corrective plan that is light on details, will take five-plus years to implement and will cost $8.2 million. It’s a banquet of bureaucratic activity.

In any case, the key point on timing is that the problem will be allowed to slowly fester until after Sloly’s contract is up. One of the features of Sloly’s approach is that not only are there no clear consequences for people who continue to sexually harass, there are none for the people in charge. By the time this five-year plan ends, Sloly will likely have moved on and so will the people on the police services board.