A Toronto police officer, Sgt. Rachel Saliba, has received an eight-month demotion following her involvement in the wrongful arrest of a Black university student, Hasani O’Gilvie. The incident occurred in August 2021 when O’Gilvie was mistakenly identified as a dangerous suspect. During the arrest, he was tasered multiple times, and officers used excessive force, including a knee to his neck.

Sgt. Saliba and another officer, Const. Seth Rietkoetter, both pleaded guilty to using unnecessary force and making an unlawful arrest. Saliba’s punishment includes demotion from sergeant to constable, mandatory treatment from the police wellness unit, and training on mentorship and leadership. While the O’Gilvie family’s lawyer expressed some satisfaction with the accountability shown, he lamented that the issue of race was not adequately addressed in the decision.

O’Gilvie had denied being the suspect when stopped, but Saliba forcibly apprehended him after he resisted handcuffing. Rietkoetter arrived later, tasered O’Gilvie, and restrained him with a knee on his neck. The officers initially charged O’Gilvie with theft but released him upon confirming his identity.

The decision criticized Saliba for her failure to prevent the unlawful arrest, stating she did not meet the expected standards of conduct for a supervisor. Despite her misconduct, the decision noted her previously unblemished career and her acknowledgment of wrongdoing after the incident. Saliba has served 17 years with the Toronto Police Service and has been diagnosed with PTSD from prior work-related traumas.