‘Not a vote of confidence’: Deputy Chief Hansen included in newest round of Sarnia police suspensions

The Sarnia Police Services Board has suspended Deputy Chief Ron Hansen as part of a workplace investigation. Bryan Bicknell reports.

Another senior police official in Sarnia has been placed under suspension.

The Sarnia Police Service Board announced Monday that Deputy Chief Ron Hansen, along with a civilian member of the police service, has been suspended from duties.

It follows an investigation launched last month into a workplace harassment complaint against Chief Derek Davis. That investigation is being conducted by Toronto-based Marshall Workplace Law.

“Well, it’s certainly not a vote of confidence in the top administration of the police service, or the board,” commented Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who stepped down from the board three years ago.

“The fact that we’re responsible to the taxpayers of this community for the police budgets and the spending. That’s the real dysfunctional nature of this system,” added Bradley.

Hansen was named deputy chief in 2024, hailing from Halton Regional Police. That’s where Derek Davis had been hired from two years earlier. The board confirms the latest suspensions are related to information that came to light during the investigation into Davis.

Bradley suggests it’s time Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing took a close look at how the Sarnia Police Service is being run.

“I would think that they’re obviously aware of the situation going on here with the deputy now being suspended, they’re aware of the chief being suspended. And to me they should be coming in and investigating the operation of the board itself, not just looking at the administrative side of things,” said Bradley.

Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing issued the following statement late Monday afternoon:

“The Inspector General of Policing’s mandate includes overseeing Ontario’s police services and police service boards to ensure they provide adequate and effective policing and comply with the Community Safety and Policing Act and its regulations. This includes inspecting, monitoring, consulting, and providing advice to police service boards and chiefs of police to support compliance. The Inspector General has been actively monitoring the situation in Sarnia and is satisfied that the Sarnia Police Service Board has taken appropriate steps to ensure the allegations raised are being investigated, while maintaining the stability of the service under the leadership of the acting chief of police.

Specific human resource decisions fall under the authority of the governing police service board, while matters related to officer misconduct are under the jurisdiction of the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA). Questions regarding these matters should be directed to the Sarnia Police Service Board or to LECA.”

The board points out suspensions are not findings of misconduct, and that it’s taking steps to ensure the integrity of the investigation.

In the meantime, interim Chief Mike Federico assumes the day-to-day leadership of the police service during the investigation, taking over from Acting Chief Mike Van Sickle.