A member of the London Police Services Board is being forced to step down as the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) moves ahead with an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment.
The London Police Services Board issued a statement late Friday afternoon that it has been notified of the investigation that will "determine whether Vice-Chair Michael Deeb engaged in conduct that violated the Code of Conduct for Police Services Board Members.” The allegations of sexual harassment were levelled at Deeb by local teacher and poet Najwa Zebian.
The police board issued a motion to the OCPC on December 21, requesting that the independent oversight agency conduct an investigation.
Deeb will be required to step down from his position as vice chair for the duration of the investigation and any hearing, if one is required, as per the police board code of conduct.
"The requirement to step down is not discretionary and does not indicate any finding of wrongdoing on the part of the commission. It is an automatic requirement," the OCPC told the police board in a letter.
Zebian, a 27-year-old teacher with the Thames Valley District School Board, made the accusations against Deeb, a principal at H.B. Beal Secondary School, in a Facebook post on Monday. She stated that Deeb abused his powerful position when she was launching her teaching career, pursued a personal relationship with her, and borrowed money from her. The timeline of the alleged harassment is unclear but appears to date back to 2013.
There are indications the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) conducted an external investigation into Zebian’s allegations against Deeb, however, the results were not made public.
-With files from Miranda Chant