Hearing for Guelph, Ont. police constable continues

The second Ontario Civilian Police Commission hearing for Guelph Police Services Constable Corey McArthur continued in Guelph on Tuesday.

McArthur assaulted a teen who was handcuffed to a hospital bed in 2016. He pleaded guilty two years later. In 2022, the police commission ruled he must resign within seven days or be fired. McArthur appealed the ruling, arguing he was struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), mainly brought on by the death of his colleague Jennifer Kovach when she was responding to a call for assistance from McArthur in 2013. The police commission ordered a new hearing saying the first hearing didn’t give enough consideration to McArthur’s PTSD.

The second hearing began in July with the defense calling upcon Dr. Jonathan Rootenberg, a forensic psychiatrist, who had assessed McArthur over the years. Dr. Rootenberg explained people with PTSD may experience impulsive or angry outbursts and from a psychological standpoint, he wasn’t concerned about McArthur returning to work.

On Tuesday, during cross examination, prosecutor Jessica Barrow questioned Dr. Rootenberg on PTSD and violence. Dr. Rootenberg agreed that violence and aggression are not directly attributable to PTSD and people can have angry outbursts without resorting to violence.

During re-examination, McArthur’s lawyer Joseph Markson asked the doctor about whether he thinks McArthur exaggerated signs of PTSD.

“I think he downplayed some of his symptoms when I first met him,” Dr. Rootenberg said.

“I never felt that he was exaggerating,” Dr. Rootenberg testified.

Markson also argued during the incident with the teen in 2016, a female officer asked McArthur to assist. Adding McArthur felt he needed to protect female officers especially after his colleague’s death in 2013.

“It’s clear to me that he’s very concerned about fellow officer’s safety, and he was very concerned about female officers,” Dr. Rootenberg said.

Dr. Rootenberg was dismissed and the hearing is expected to return on Monday with a character witness being called.

McArthur was suspended with pay in 2016 and continues to make the Ontario Sunshine List. He earned a salary of $115,292 in 2023.