More than half the Ottawa Police Service members who responded to a workplace survey, including more than eight in 10 women, have experienced sexual or personal harassment or discrimination in the last four years.

'I think that's appalling, especially in a public organization like this.'— Police services board member Jim MacEwen

The police service released the results of its 2006 member survey and presented them to the police services board Monday, alongside the official launch of a respectful workplace program to combat the problems revealed.

The online questionnaire on workplace issues such as respect, supervision, resources, environment, career development and management was completed by 921 of 1,750 members invited to participate.

The survey respondents reported that in the last four years:

  • 52 per cent had experienced sexual harassment or discrimination.
  • 54 per cent had experienced personal harassment or discrimination.
  • 28 per cent had witnessed sexual or personal harassment or discrimination.
  • More than eight in 10 women and six in 10 men had experienced either type of harassment or discrimination.
  • Only 13 per cent of victims reported the harassment to managers.

Less than half of respondents said they would feel safe reporting the harassment or discrimination to managers, and only a third said they were satisfied with the way the service responds to matters related to harassment and discrimination.

The results astonished police services board members such as Jim MacEwen.

"This will not be tolerated in this day and age and I'm angry. I can't believe these figures," MacEwen said. "I think that's appalling, especially in a public organization like this."

Acting police chief Sue O'Sullivan said the service is dealing with the problems.

"Those are numbers that absolutely ... we really want to be responding to," she said.

"We've been working very hard for the last year and a half, two years, to really respond, focusing on education and prevention."

She added that does not mean harassers will not be dealt with harshly.

Job satisfaction high

The survey found that members lack confidence in senior management in areas outside their response to complaints of harassment and discrimination:

  • 15 per cent agree and more than 50 per cent disagree that promotions and transfer decisions are made on the basis of individual skills and experience.
  • 80 per cent do not agree that senior management follows through on promises made to members.
  • 40 per cent disagree that senior management's decision-making processes are transparent.

Some more positive findings of the report were:

  • 83 per cent are satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs
  • 87 per cent said their work unit worked well as a team.
  • 64 per cent said they had adequate resources to do their job properly.
  • 65 per cent said they get the training they need to do their jobs.

The survey was the fourth workplace survey conducted by the police service since 1995.