CBC says internal video accused members of seeking women’s personal information and contacting vulnerable victims
Canada’s police chief has told officials “Change your behavior or quit” after accusing some members of using police databases and other law enforcement resources to find women and develop intimate relationships.
The remarks were made in a seven-minute internal video sent last month by Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs to all members of the force, according to CBC News, which obtained the recording.
“Members use our database as their own way to meet women,” Stubbs says in the video, which has gone viral. He explained the incidents where the police were supposed to record car numbers after seeing women in coffee shops, theaters or on the street and then search the police systems to get their personal information.
“We have seen members send messages to victims on calls they have attended in an attempt to develop a close relationship,” Stubbs said, adding: “Change your behavior now – or stop, walk away.”
Ottawa police say some officers have been using police databases to find women and contact them for personal reasons.
Police Chief Eric Stubbs says officers are allegedly running license plates and using information from police interactions to pursue women, adding that those who…
— RTN (@RTNToronto) June 22, 2026
The chief admitted that the problem continued within the force, warning that failure to deal with it would encourage the behavior to continue.
Stubbs told reporters on Monday that while some may argue that the force is not making progress, it remains committed to addressing the problem and “he won’t stop trying.”
This week, nine directors of Ottawa-area sexual assault organizations reportedly sent a joint letter demanding detailed and transparent answers, questioning whether past cases involving officers facing allegations of misconduct have been properly investigated.
The dispute comes amid a series of recent cases involving Ottawa police officers and the misuse of official databases.
Earlier this year, Constable Andrew Reesor was charged under Ontario police law after allegedly conducting multiple warrantless searches of government databases between 2021 and 2024. According to police documents cited by the CBC, he admitted that certain searches involving women were prompted by “curiosity” and “attraction.”
The force has also disciplined another officer for improper database searches, while another officer was charged with assault and criminal harassment earlier this year.
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