Ottawa police are dealing with an internal controversy after one of their own was charged with impaired driving. Mathieu Boucher, a 41-year-old constable with the Ottawa Police Service, is now facing an impaired driving charge, according to a report from the Ottawa Citizen.
What We Know So Far
Details of the incident that led to the charge remain limited, but the Ottawa Citizen confirms that Boucher has been formally charged. As is standard practice when a member of the force faces criminal charges, the Ottawa Police Service has made changes to his duty status while the matter proceeds through the courts.
Taken Off Front-Line Patrol
While Boucher has not been suspended outright, he has been taken off front-line patrol duties. He remains on active duty in some capacity with the service, a distinction that reflects how police forces in Ontario typically handle officers facing charges — allowing them to continue working in a reduced or administrative role rather than removing them from the payroll entirely, pending the outcome of the case.
This approach is consistent with procedures under Ontario's police oversight framework, which governs how services like the Ottawa Police handle allegations against their own members while ensuring due process.
Why This Matters to Ottawa Residents
Cases involving police officers charged with the same offences they're sworn to enforce tend to draw heightened scrutiny from the communities they serve. For Ottawa residents, an impaired driving charge against a serving constable raises questions about accountability within the force and how the Ottawa Police Service balances an officer's right to due process with public trust.
Ottawa has, in recent years, seen increased attention paid to police conduct and oversight, with residents and city councillors alike pushing for greater transparency when officers face allegations of wrongdoing. This case is likely to be watched closely as it moves forward, particularly given Boucher's continued active status with the service.
What Happens Next
As with any criminal charge, Boucher is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The Ottawa Police Service has not indicated a timeline for further updates, and it's unclear at this stage whether additional details about the circumstances of the charge will be released publicly.
Ottown will continue to follow this story as more information becomes available from the Ottawa Police Service and the courts.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
