Ottawa Officer Found Guilty of Assault Must Leave the Force
An Ottawa police officer found guilty of assault and assault with a weapon has lost his appeal of an order to resign, bringing a multi-year disciplinary case to a close.
Goran Beric, who has been suspended from the Ottawa Police Service, was ordered to resign following findings that he struck a man with his police-issued baton and stepped on the man's neck for approximately two minutes during an incident in August 2021. His appeal of that order has now been dismissed, meaning the resignation directive stands.
What Happened in August 2021
The incident at the centre of the case dates to August 2021, when Beric was found to have used his police baton against a man and then pressed his foot on the man's neck for two minutes. The conduct was determined to constitute both assault and assault with a weapon — serious findings for any officer, let alone one bound by strict use-of-force guidelines.
Police officers in Ontario are governed by the Police Services Act and its successor legislation, which set out conduct standards and disciplinary processes for officers found to have committed misconduct. A finding of criminal-level conduct — assault — typically carries severe consequences including dismissal from the force.
The Disciplinary and Appeals Process
After being found guilty of the offences internally, Beric was ordered to resign from the Ottawa Police Service. He challenged that order through the appeals process, arguing against the severity of the penalty.
His appeal has now been denied, affirming the original order. The decision means Beric cannot continue serving as a police officer with Ottawa's service.
Why This Case Matters for Ottawa
The Beric case is part of a broader ongoing conversation in Ottawa — and across Canada — about police accountability and use of force. Incidents involving excessive force by officers have prompted calls for greater transparency in how police services handle internal discipline, and for stronger civilian oversight mechanisms.
Ottawa residents have watched several high-profile police misconduct cases work their way through the disciplinary system in recent years, raising questions about how swiftly and firmly the Ottawa Police Service responds when officers cross the line. Critics of police discipline processes often point to how long these cases take — in Beric's case, the incident occurred in August 2021, meaning the process has stretched over several years.
For many in Ottawa's community advocacy circles, the outcome — while welcome — underscores the need for processes that move more quickly and that are more visible to the public.
What's Next
With his appeal dismissed, Goran Beric is required to resign from the Ottawa Police Service. The Ottawa Police Service has not publicly commented in detail on the timeline for his departure.
The case will likely continue to be cited in discussions around police reform and accountability in the city.
Source: Ottawa Citizen. Read the original story at ottawacitizen.com.
