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Mississauga News - May 30, 2007 - By Louie Rosella
Party ends in punishment for police officers
A Peel Regional Police officer has been demoted for "unwanted sexual touching" involving a woman he was with while he and another officer were partying in Ottawa.
The other Peel officer has been docked pay for his role in the November 2005 get-together, according to a Police Services Board document.
Both were off-duty when the incidents took place.
Peel Csts. Mark Ho Sue and Joseph Sirianni each pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct charges laid under the Police Services Act, according to a disciplinary report filed last Friday at a Police Services Board hearing.
Ho Sue, who also was involved in inappropriate actions with drugs that evening, was demoted from a second-class to third-class constable for nine months and ordered to work four, eight-hour shifts without pay.
Sirianni must work 32 hours without pay.
The penalties were handed down by Acting Staff Supt. David Hazelton, who presided over the disciplinary hearing last Dec. 14.
Peel Insp. Steve Mendyk, officer-in-charge of the Professional Standards Bureau, said Ottawa police investigated the incident, but chose not to lay criminal charges.
Ho Sue, who works out of 21 Division, admitted that on the evening of Nov. 27, 2005, he and Sirianni were in the presence of two female aquaintances smoking marijuana at a hotel room in Ottawa.
The officers and women had also earlier attended a bar, where they "consumed various amounts of alcohol," the proceedings heard.
Ho Sue allowed one of the women "to blow the marijuana smoke into his mouth as they were kissing," according to the disciplinary report.
Ho Sue also acted in a manner "likely to bring discredit upon the reputation of the Peel Regional Police" by engaging the woman in sexual conduct, "despite her telling the officer to stop," proceedings heard.
"Ho Sue's conduct made the female fearful for her safety," the report stated.
Mendyk said it involved "unwanted sexual touching."
Another offence that was factored into Ho Sue's guilty plea occurred earlier in the evening, when a cat belonging to one of the women bit the officer "on or about the head," and Ho Sue lost his temper.
The hearing heard the officer "took out an edged knife that was in his possession and held the open blade towards the cat's neck, holding the cat by the neck."
Sirianni, who works out of 11 Division, was disciplined for being "in the presence" of the two women smoking marijuana that evening.
"Cst. Sirianni took no action with respect to the use of marijuana," the report said.
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