A hearing date for an additional charge against a Greater Sudbury Police constable has been set for Aug. 15-20 with an additional day added if it's needed.
Robert Rheaume, a 17-year veteran with the police service, is charged with breach of confidence and insubordination under the Police Services Act stemming from social media posts he made on an online article detailing the wages of some of his managers.
He was found guilty in February of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act by Retired Ontario Provincial Police Superintendent Greg Walton, who is overseeing the hearing. His punishment will be handed down on April 2 at 9 a.m. at Tom Davies Square in Room 13B.
Rheaume said he plans to appeal the decision.
In a brief conference call on March 28, Rheaume's defence and the prosecution argued over available dates for a six-day trial before settling on Aug. 15-20.
In his decision, Walton said police officers are held to a higher standard than other members of the public and are bound by a duty of loyalty to their employers. He said Rheaume knew or ought to have know these social media posts were likely to cause damage to the reputation of Greater Sudbury Police Service.
On March 24, 2018 an article was posted on the Sudbury Star Facebook page, specifically, “Sunshine list swells in Sudbury, Ontario.”
On the same date, Rheaume commented on this post:
“What people should really be looking at is how someone like Sharon Baiden at the Greater Sudbury Police Service went from making $130,000 just four years ago and is now at $205,000!! That’s almost 50 per cent raise in less than 4 years…As a matter of fact, the year that former Chief Frank Elsner left, she got a $48,000 raise. Sudbury taxpayers should be asking council how that happened?” (sic)
On March 28, Rheaume posted another comment on Facebook:
“Don’t take this the wrong way my friend…But after seeing the Sunshine List last week, you should be posting about how some Managers at the Greater Sudbury Police Service got 33% Raises…They’re [sic] are a handful of them the [sic] got extremely hefty raises..Your taxes and mine going up because of the Police Service Board’s approval of these raises..Look up Lori Marconato..From $106 thousand in 2016 to $149 thousand in 2017…How do they justify that..Here’s another one..Melissa Bamberger $110 thousand in 2016 to $148 thousand in 2017…Again, how do you fucken justify that?? Carrie Lynn Hotson..$109 thousand in 2016 to $132 thousand in 2017. Three people..over $100,000 in raises.” (sic)
The penalty for his first discreditable conduct charge will be handed down on April 2 at 9 a.m. at Tom Davies Square, Room 13B.
Rheaume will go before the tribunal again on June 11 at 9:30 a.m. to answer to two more counts of discreditable conduct and one count of insubordination. That will take place at the Lexington Hotel. He has been suspended with pay since May 2018.
