Kristina Neilson, a constable for the RCMP, received a misconduct charge for donating money to the freedom convoy in Ottawa.
The notice of disciplinary hearing alleges Neilson acted in a “Disorderly manner, or in a manner prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit upon the reputation of the Ottawa Police Service by donating money to the ‘Freedom Convoy Fund’ on a website called ‘GiveSendGo.’”
Neilson will face another discipline hearing later this month, and she may be fired.
The Ottawa Police Service investigators allege Neilson donated 50 dollars to the “Freedom Convoy Fund” through GiveSendGo on February 5. Neilson did not offer a plea.
The convoy arrived in Ottawa to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions one week earlier.
Chief Steve Bell, named Interim Chief two weeks after the alleged misconduct happened, said in February that an investigation was underway into police officers who may have donated to the protestors.
The charges contend that Neilson “Knew, or reasonably ought to have known, that the money was being raised for the illegal occupation known as the ‘Freedom Convoy.’”
Cory Morgan of the Epoch Times says, “The witch hunt being carried out against Const. Kristina Neilson of the #OttawaPolice Service who allegedly donated to the #FreedomConvoy is only entrenching division and mistrust in #Canada.”
The RCMP was subject of a $1.1-billion class-action lawsuit over alleged harassment of members in 2018.
According to the RCMP’s research, only 35% of Canadians trust the current RCMP leadership.
Another 51% of Canadians said the Mounties are an honest police force, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. And 61% of Canadians surveyed say the RCMP seldom exceeds its authority, while 22% say the RCMP sometimes oversteps its boundaries.
The RCMP in-house research also found that tracking suggests trust in the RCMP’s national leaders has eroded somewhat over the past year.
The development comes after the RCMP admitted it hacked Canadians’ devices to install spyware.
