Ottawa Police Union Chief Faces Sexual Assault Investigation

The president of the union representing Ottawa police officers and civilian staff has been accused of sexual assault that allegedly happened in 2008, according to .

An email from April 17 sent by the board of directors of the Ottawa Police Association – which was obtained by CBC – indicates that Matthew Cox is under investigation by Ontario’s police oversight body, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

The union board stated that the allegation against Cox does not relate to his duties with the union and confirmed that he remains president.

“This is an active investigation, and it is essential that the process be allowed to proceed independently without interference.. The Board confirms that President Cox remains in his role at this time. The allegation relates to a matter reported to have occurred in 2008, prior to his election as president,” the union’s email reads.

“At this stage, as with every criminal investigation, the allegation remains unproven. The principle of the presumption of innocence applies, and no conclusions should be drawn until the investigative process has been completed.”

SIU looking into OPS sexual assault claim

The SIU is currently investigating a sexual assault claim involving the Ottawa Police Service and was notified about it on March 25, according to information on their website.

While they wouldn’t confirm if Cox is part of this investigation, they mentioned in an email Monday that officers are only named if charges are filed against them.

So far, no charges have been brought against Cox. The SIU’s inquiry will decide whether there’s enough evidence for criminal charges or not.

In response to questions regarding Cox, the Ottawa Police Service stated in a message that they became aware of a historical misconduct allegation “against a member” on March 24 (the day before SIU was informed), and they promptly alerted the SIU. They referred all further comments to the watchdog.

The SIU investigates incidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries, instances where shots are fired, and allegations of sexual assault involving police forces in Ontario.

Cox took over as president of the Ottawa Police Association in December 2022 after joining the force in 2006.

He did not reply to requests for comment on Monday.

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