In what’s becoming a challenging week for Ottawa police, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has launched a probe after a child was struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty officer. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon in the city’s west end, adding another layer of complexity to the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
According to preliminary reports from the SIU, the child was transported to CHEO with non-life-threatening injuries after being hit at approximately 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue. The area, frequently busy with after-school pedestrian traffic, has been the focus of community safety concerns in recent months.
“We’re still piecing together exactly what happened,” said SIU spokesperson Elena Bautista. “What we can confirm is that an off-duty Ottawa Police Service officer was driving the vehicle involved, which automatically triggers our independent investigation process.”
The SIU, Ontario’s civilian oversight agency, investigates incidents involving police where there has been death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault. Their involvement signals the serious nature of the incident, though it doesn’t necessarily indicate wrongdoing by the officer.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly issued a brief statement acknowledging the investigation. “Our thoughts are with the child and family affected by this incident. We are fully cooperating with the SIU investigation and will respect their process.”
Community safety advocates have pointed to this intersection as problematic for some time. Maryam Karim, founder of Safe Streets Ottawa, told me this isn’t surprising news to those who live nearby.
“That particular area has been flagged multiple times in our community safety audits,” Karim explained. “The configuration of the intersection, combined with the volume of school-aged pedestrians during peak hours, creates a perfect storm for these types of incidents.”
City Councillor Rick Chiarelli, whose ward includes the area where the incident occurred, has promised to revisit traffic calming measures that were proposed last year but never implemented.
“This is exactly the kind of situation we were trying to prevent,” Chiarelli said. “Whether it involves a police officer or any other driver, we need to take a hard look at how we’re protecting our most vulnerable road users.”
The child’s family has requested privacy as they focus on recovery, but a family representative expressed gratitude for the community’s support and the medical care being received at CHEO.
This incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for Ottawa Police, who are currently navigating public scrutiny over use-of-force statistics released last month showing disproportionate impacts on racialized communities.
As a journalist who’s covered Ottawa’s municipal affairs for over a decade, I’ve watched the relationship between police and community undergo significant transformations. This incident, regardless of fault, will likely intensify conversations about accountability, community safety, and the unique responsibilities police officers carry both on and off duty.
The SIU has assigned four investigators to the case, including forensic specialists who were seen documenting the scene yesterday evening. They’ve issued a call for witnesses to come forward, particularly anyone with dashcam or security footage from the area between 3:15 and 3:45 p.m.
While the investigation unfolds, neighborhood residents are expressing renewed concerns about traffic safety. Parent council representatives from nearby Sir Guy Carleton Secondary School have announced plans to address the issue at next week’s meeting.
“We need immediate action,” said parent council chair Janette Williams. “This could have been any of our children. Off-duty officer or not, the intersection needs attention before something even more tragic happens.”
The Ottawa Police Association has not issued a statement regarding the incident, citing the ongoing SIU investigation.
For Ottawa residents, particularly those with children navigating busy streets daily, this incident serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing challenges in urban safety planning. It also highlights the complex dynamics at play
