A Laval, Que. police officer who tracked down a man for posting an insulting comment on Facebook has been cleared of abusing his authority. Blacklock's Reporter says the case highlights Québec’s municipal bylaws that prohibit “insulting or abusing a peace officer or a municipal employee in the performance of his or her duties.”Const. Dominic Léonardi was conducting a routine traffic stop in 2020 when a passenger in a passing car recorded him on a smartphone and made an insulting remark. The following day, Léonardi learned from colleagues that the video had been posted online. Facebook users left 258 comments, all under pseudonyms except one, in which Sébastien Corbeil wrote: “A real pig.”The ethics tribunal heard that Léonardi conducted legal research, located Corbeil, and issued a $78 ticket under the municipal ban on insulting police. The tribunal found no evidence of personal revenge or abuse of authority. “There is nothing in the evidence that leads to the conclusion this was a desire for personal revenge,” Judge Marc-Antoine Adam wrote.Corbeil was later acquitted in municipal court. The judge ruled there was reasonable doubt whether the comment referred to Léonardi or the state of the vehicle.Québec’s Commissioner for Police Ethics urged the public to treat peace officers with respect in a guide titled Police Powers and Duties: Respectful Encounters. The guide notes that while Canadians have the right to express frustration or opinions, interactions are smoother if people remain calm and polite.
