Ottawa-area OPP officer demoted for 3 years for sexually harassing another officer

[Michael Jack]

OPP wanted Renfrew officer fired after his 3rd episode of misconduct since 2021

An Ontario Provincial Police constable has been demoted for three years for slapping a colleague's buttock during an OPP charity golf tournament in 2024 — his third episode of misconduct since 2021.

Const. Mark Condron of the Renfrew OPP detachment is demoted to third-class constable for 18 months, and will then be demoted to second-class constable for an additional 18 months.

Retired Ottawa police superintendent Chris Renwick made the decision for the Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission April 28, after he found Condron guilty in November 2025 of engaging in workplace sexual harassment under the Community Safety and Policing Act.

The victim, an acting sergeant, "was a relatively junior member of the OPP with seven years of service" when Condron slapped her at the charity tournament she was in charge of planning and running, Renwick wrote in his decision.

"Her superiors, colleagues, family members, and members of the community were all present and it has been found that [his] unprovoked act of slapping her buttock in this public setting was demeaning, most embarrassing, and caused her to question what she had previously done or portrayed to make [Condron] think it was OK to demean her in this way."

'Intensively focused on a group of young females'

Condron's previous inapproproate behaviour included discreditable off-duty conduct at a social function in Sioux Lookout, Ont., in November 2021, for which he pleaded guilty and forefeited 50 hours of pay.

The officer was drinking and "became intensively focused on a group of young females, which included children, making them uncomfortable. He opened the washroom door and struck [sic] his tongue out towards them," Renwick wrote.

"The young females described his actions as creepy and scary. Adults were concerned of his intentions as he watched the young girls, and he was confronted by adult members of the community present."

The second incident happened in June 2023 and also involved off-duty drinking. Condron was driving his children home at 6 p.m. in his personal vehicle, lost control and crashed into a ditch at 100 km/h.

Condron failed to report the crash to police. Instead, he called a tow truck and asked his wife to pick them up, Renwick wrote.

Police later attended Condron's house, observed him to be impaired and administered a roadside sobriety testing. He blew an "alert," was issued a three-day licence suspension and pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of careless driving.

He later pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct and was demoted for 18 months.

OPP wanted Condron dismissed

The prosecutor for the OPP argued that Condron "is simply not fit to continue as an OPP officer" in light of his three misconduct findings, Renwick summarized.

Condron had pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct for his motor vehicle crash only a month before slapping his colleague's buttock, and was demoted for it just 15 days before the slap.

The prosecution argued that "the repeated pattern of poor decisions towards women make [Condron] unfit to be a police officer. Three times before a tribunal in four years demonstrate a fundamental character flaw that cannot be rehabilitated."

Condron's defence argued that an 18-month demotion followed by another 12-month demotion would be appropriate. The officer's performance reviews from 2019-23 "met or exceeded requirements," and Condron's "worth to the service and effectiveness as an officer did not change following the two [previous] disciplinary matters," Renwick wrote.

He also noted that Condron had been his platoon's second in command until May 2023, and was the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA)'s branch president during that time. (The OPPA is the union that represents rank-and-file officers and civilian members.)

In his decision, Renwick wrote that he was "not convinced that [the] facts present are so egregious as to determine there exists a fundamental character flaw that cannot be corrected, and that [Condron], although close, has not yet demonstrated that his usefulness as a police officer is spent.

"If [he] continues with his 18 months of sobriety and continues with his PTSD therapy, then the potential to rehabilitate himself remains. The potential remains for him to return as a contributing member of the OPP, and to regain some of the lost trust of both his employer and his colleagues.

"If this occurs, then I am satisfied that public confidence in the OPP can be met with a significant demotion rather than termination."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/o ... -9.7219314

https://ontariochronicle.ca/ottawa/otta ... r-officer/

[Michael Jack]

An OPP constable in Renfrew County has been demoted for three years after slapping the buttock of a female officer while she was on duty at an OPP charity golf match two years ago.

Const. Mark Condron was found guilty of one count of misconduct under the Community Safety and Policing Act in November. The misconduct falls under Section 30 of the CSPA, which prohibits workplace harassment, including sexual harassment.

An acting sergeant was on duty and engaged in a taped radio interview at a charity golf tournament when Condron slapped her buttock in June 2024, according to a November decision from the Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission.

Condron pleaded not guilty to misconduct under Section 30, as well as a count of misconduct under Section 10 regarding the undermining of public trust. The count of misconduct under Section 10 was dropped.

In April, Chris Renwick, a retired Ottawa police superintendent, ruled Condron would be demoted from the rank of first-class constable to the rank of third-class constable for 18 months, followed by a graduation to second-class constable for 18 months, before a reinstatement to first-class constable.

Renwick wrote he is obliged to consider the “totality of conduct,” which includes performance assessments, awards, letters of commendation and community service as well as prior misconduct.

The incident marks the third time Condron has faced disciplinary action in a period of four years.

Condron pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct and forfeited 50 hours of pay following an incident at a social function in Sioux Lookout in November 2021, according to the Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission report.

Condron also pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct and was demoted to second-class constable for 18 months after an act of careless driving.

Renwick said both of the prior incidents involved alcohol and thatCondron has since taken steps to receive professional help for multiple mental health diagnoses, including a seven-week inpatient recovery program following the most recent incident.

“I am not convinced that facts present are so egregious as to determine there exists a fundamental character flaw that cannot be corrected and that he, although close, has not yet demonstrated that his usefulness as a police officer is spent,” Renwick wrote. “If Cst. Condron continues with his 18 months of sobriety and continues with his PTSD therapy, then the potential to rehabilitate himself remains.”

The OPP prosecutor sought Condron’s dismissal from the provincial police service.

Despite a delay in taking responsibility for his actions and the severity of the offence, Renwick concluded dismissal would not be appropriate in this case.

Condron’s defence said a demotion to a lower-class constable will result in a total loss of pay of more than $50,000.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11886810/opp ... arassment/

[Michael Jack]

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) constable in Renfrew County has been demoted for three years for slapping an officer’s buttock while she was on duty at an OPP charity golf tournament two years ago.

Const. Mark Condron was found guilty in November of one count of misconduct under the Community Safety and Policing Act. The guilty finding was for misconduct contrary to Section 30 of the CSPA by engaging in workplace harassment, including workplace sexual harassment.

According to the Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission decision, released in November, an acting sergeant was hosting a charity golf tournament that she had organized at the Renfrew golf course on June 21, 2024.

“(The acting sergeant) was asked to participate in a live interview with a local radio station to discuss the event and the money raised for charity,” said the November report outlining the allegations and the decision.

“Const. Mark Condron walked by (the acting sergeant) and slapped her across her buttocks with an open hand. Const. Condron continued walking and did not say anything at the time.”

The acting sergeant described being “embarrassed and humiliated by Const. Condron’s actions,” according to the report.

While Condron pleaded not guilty, adjudicator Chris Renwick found him guilty of one count of misconduct.

According to the disposition, this was Condron’s third misconduct finding in the last three years. The OPP prosecution asked the hearing officer to dismiss the officer, with the lawyer saying Const. Condron “is simply not fit to continue as an OPP officer,” according to the report.

In April, Renwick, a retired Ottawa police superintendent, released the sentencing decision for the Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission. Renwick ruled Condron will be demoted to third-class constable for 18 months and will be demoted to second-class constable for 18 months before being reinstated to first-class constable.

“(The acting sergeant) was a relatively junior member of the OPP with seven years of service when she found herself in an acting sergeant role, tasked with the planning and execution of an OPP charity golf tournament in the community of Renfrew,” Renwick wrote.

“Her superiors, colleagues, family members, and members of the community were all present and it has been found that Const. Condron’s unprovoked act of slapping her buttock in this public setting was demeaning, most embarrassing, and caused her to question what she had previously done or portrayed to make Const. Condron think it was OK to demean her in this way.”

According to the Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission report, Condron was demoted for 18 months following a careless driving incident in July 2023. He pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct.

In 2023, he pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct for an incident that occurred in Sioux Lookout in November 2021 and forfeited 50 hours of pay.

“Removing the significant aggravating factor of Const. Condron’s previous two occasions of misconduct and just focusing on the misconduct before this tribunal, I am not convinced that facts present are so egregious as to determine there exists a fundamental character flaw that cannot be corrected and that he, although close, has not yet demonstrated that his usefulness as a police officer is spent,” Renwick wrote in the sentencing report.

“If Const. Condron continues with his 18 months of sobriety and continues with his PTSD therapy, then the potential to rehabilitate himself remains. The potential remains for him to return as a contributing member of the OPP, and to regain some of the lost trust of both his employer and his colleagues.”

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/e ... lf-course/