Police officer could be demoted after shoplifting $87 in groceries

An Ottawa police officer caught shoplifting half her groceries has pleaded guilty to misconduct after being criminally charged with theft and could be temporarily demoted.

Const. Sarah Bell pleaded guilty earlier this week to one count of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act for "purposely failing to scan items at the self-checkout of a store and [making] no attempts to pay for these items before leaving."

The allegations date to July 13, 2021, when Bell was shopping at a Gatineau, Que., supermarket, according to an agreed statement of facts in the case.

She was scanning her items when she caught the attention of a loss prevention officer who was watching the store's surveillance video feeds.

The officer saw that Bell "took one item in her right hand and another in her left hand, proceeded to scan the item in her left hand, but not the item in her right hand," according to the agreed statement of facts.

But then, Bell placed both items into her bin. And so she continued, the loss prevention officer noted, until she paid her bill for the items she scanned and headed to the exit.

The loss prevention officer then caught up with her and arrested her in the vestibule between the exit doors. Once she was back inside the store, Bell identified herself as an Ottawa police officer.

The store determined that Bell paid for groceries totalling $87.46, while stealing items worth $87.68, nearly the exact same amount.

Criminal case dismissed

Gatineau police responded to the scene and told Bell it would be a Quebec prosecutor's decision whether any criminal charges were laid.

According to the agreed facts, the Crown's office in Gatineau did recommend one charge of theft under $5,000. But ultimately, Bell's criminal case was referred to a diversion program and was dismissed after she met the program's conditions.

Bell was hired in 2018. She did not appear on 2021's public salary disclosure list of Ontario public servants who earned more than $100,000 in salary. (The disclosure list for last year has not yet been released.)

Bell has not yet been sentenced for her guilty plea under the Police Services Act.

The Ottawa Police Association, which is representing Bell, and the police prosecutor have jointly asked that Bell be demoted to second-class constable for 14 months.