A seasoned detective at the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is facing a two-year demotion due to discreditable conduct after a disciplinary panel concluded she had breached the privacy of families by inappropriately accessing the records of deceased children and questioning a parent about a mother’s vaccination status.
Constable Helen Grus was placed on suspension in 2022 following accusations of involvement in an “unauthorized project” by accessing case files outside of her assigned duties. Additionally, she was charged with interfering in an investigation by contacting the father of a deceased infant to inquire about the COVID-19 vaccination status of the mother.
Grus was found guilty of discreditable conduct in March 2025 and recently received a 24-month demotion from first-class constable to second-class constable as a consequence. Retired OPS superintendent Chris Renwick, who imposed the demotion, emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity within the police force and addressing biased actions and abuse of power seriously.
Renwick criticized Grus for tarnishing the reputation of the OPS by engaging in unauthorized inquiries into sensitive matters like infant deaths and accessing protected medical records without proper authorization. The demotion was deemed necessary to address the severity of Grus’s actions and prevent further harm to the OPS’s standing.
Despite arguments from prosecutors advocating for the two-year demotion, Grus’s case has garnered support from vaccine skeptics nationwide. Her defense team claimed the disciplinary process was retaliatory for whistle-blowing, although the tribunal found no evidence to support this assertion.
The demotion will result in an estimated $30,000 loss of income for Grus, along with an additional $25,000 in missed opportunities since her initial suspension. Renwick also criticized the conduct of legal representatives during the proceedings, citing poor decorum, name-calling, and constant objections that prolonged the hearing process.
