Last year, a blunt question was raised about how seriously sexual harassment is treated within the Toronto Police Service. A recent disciplinary ruling has done little to quiet that concern. Const. Usman Haroon, a veteran officer found guilty under the Police Services Act of touching the buttocks of a junior female colleague, has been demoted to second-class constable for six months.
For critics, the punishment appears lenient given the nature of the misconduct and Haroon’s disciplinary history. Haroon, who joined the force in 2007, was accused of the incident in November 2015 while both officers were on duty and in uniform. According to evidence presented at a disciplinary tribunal, Haroon placed his hand on the female officer’s buttocks as he followed her out of an elevator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
The encounter was captured on video. His lawyer, Harry Black, argued that the contact was not sexual in nature. The tribunal rejected that claim. “This action was with his right hand, which was an upward, open-faced palm to the bottom of her buttocks near the back of her legs, then being drawn backwards, the contact was brief in nature,” Insp. Suzanne Redman wrote in her decision, according to the Toronto Sun.
“An objective, reasonable, and informed member of the community would certainly find this to be overtly sexual in nature and absolutely shocking, and so does this Tribunal. An objective, reasonable, and informed member of the public would find this at the very least to be workplace sexual harassment, and at most they could consider it to be a sexual assault.”
Haroon was suspended with pay in 2017 and later pleaded guilty to one count of discreditable conduct. In exchange, several other allegations were withdrawn, including claims that he placed his hand on the officer’s upper leg and moved her hand to his groin while they were driving together in a scout car.
Redman described the conduct as “offensive and disturbing” and stressed that “sexual harassment within the workplace cannot and should not be tolerated ever.” While acknowledging that Haroon appeared “on paper” to be a strong officer, she declined to overlook the seriousness of the behavior.
The ruling also noted that this was not Haroon’s first disciplinary finding involving a female colleague. In January 2023, he was found guilty of punching another officer in the arm during a 2009 incident after she refused to follow his driving directions. That officer later testified she had endured sexual “gutter talk” and unwanted touching from Haroon before the assault.
Redman said a “significant penalty” was required, though the prosecution itself sought a lighter sanction. Ultimately, Haroon received a six-month demotion and mandatory respectful workplace training.
“Const. Haroon, I truly hope you realize by virtue of this disposition, you are being given a chance to reform,” Redman warned. “A disposition of dismissal will most certainly be entertained if you attend before me or any other adjudicator in the future for conduct of this nature.”
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