After almost three years, the proceedings against Detective Helen Grus have come to an end; retired Ottawa Police Superintendent Renwick published his ruling on March 25th, finding Det. Grus guilty of Discreditable Conduct under the Police Services Act (PSA).
There is no doubt that this is a disappointing decision and one that Det. Grus has confirmed she will be appealing.
This case has been dragging on since August of 2022, with multiple court appearances providing testimony, legal arguments, introduction of evidence, et cetera. The amount of information presented is overwhelming and difficult to summarize, and the reasons put forward in Renwick’s report span a further 34 pages.
Mr. Renwick goes to great lengths in his report, to insulate himself from the defense’s position regarding the tribunal being politically motivated, the hearing being rooted in other PSA offences (that would be in the public interest to hear), or any commentary on the actions of Public Health officials and policies related to vaccinations and their efficacy. He insists that he is sticking with the facts and the allegations as they pertain to her position as a police officer.
As a member of the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit with the Ottawa Police Service, Det. Grus observed an increase in infant deaths following the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccines. As a result, Det. Grus began a preliminary investigation which included accessing reports held in the police database and, in one instance, contacting the parents of a deceased child to enquire about the mother’s vaccination status.
Det. Helen Grus acted exactly as the public would expect and want a police officer to act.
What is important to know is that the Police Services Act Tribunal is much different from a criminal or provincial court, so much so that in policing jargon and inner circles it’s often referred to as a “kangaroo” court. The arbiters of the court are members of the very organization that have accused the defendant of wrongdoing. In this instance, Helen Grus is guilty simply because a retired superintendent said so. The definition of discreditable conduct is so open to interpretation that it is quite literally defined on a case-by-case basis by the internal power structure.
Is the safety of these mothers and their children, as it relates to a possible correlation with vaccinations, not a matter of public interest?
Helen Grus was acting well within her authority and discretion as police officer. In any other sort of normal reality her intelligence and investigative skills would be commended. In fact, her legal team argued this in trial, pointing out that even procedural manuals from both the Ottawa Police and the Coroner’s office require questions regarding vaccination status during a death investigation.
The sad and unfortunate truth of this decision is the message it sends. Our policing institutions have been corrupted at the highest levels. The police are supposed to operate independent of political pressures, be it external or internal; this is what Det. Grus is guilty of.
To read the full 34 page decision, click here
