Brantford Police address involvement concerning minor hockey bullying allegations

 

The Brantford Police Service has issued a statement regarding the recent allegations involving bullying within the Brantford Minor Hockey Association.

“BPS are aware of the situation involving serious allegations of bullying in minor hockey,” the statement reads. “The Brantford Police Service takes all allegations of this nature seriously, particularly those involving minors.

“Due to the involvement of young persons, we would like to remind the community that police are bound by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which limits the information we can disclose. However, we want to assure the community that we are aware of the situation and continue to dedicate the necessary resources.”

A troubling series of communications involving alleged bullying and references to violent activities by players are included in the specific incident in question. Following their recent social media posting, the messages have received hundreds of comments, reactions, and shares across multiple platforms.

The Independent Third Party (ITP) of Hockey Canada has begun an inquiry and suspended the five players who are alleged to have engaged in bullying.

When contacted for more details, Robin Matthews-Osmond, the corporate communications manager for Brantford Police, expressed her hope that the statement would clarify the police's role in the incident.

“It was necessary to put out the statement to correct misinformation which was circulating on social media,” said Matthews-Osmond.

The public should be aware that our police take such accusations seriously and that several officers have been working on this case for a while. It is just not accurate that we have been accused of inaction. 

“While I cannot speak to specifics of the investigation, the Brantford Police Service are dealing with this issue and are employing a measured approach in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.”

When asked about charges being laid or if the matter is ongoing, Matthews-Osmond referred to her previous response that police are still dealing with the allegations.

What is clear is the social media storm the incident has created. Along with support the victim has received, there have been multiple threats to those involved in the situation.

Matthews-Osmond said police remind the public that this type of behaviour is not acceptable.

“Any allegations of threats and this type of response from the public is extremely concerning to police,” she said.

“We understand that some individuals may feel passionately about the situation however, vigilante behaviour is not something police endorse. This type of behaviour creates serious safety issues for all parties involved.”