In 2026, an investigation into Sgt. Robert “Bobby” Cleroux, an acting staff sergeant for the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) south district, concluded following his death by suicide on March 6. The investigation established that Cleroux was under scrutiny for allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault involving two former students of Collège La Cité. The prosecution reported that Cleroux was suspended with pay in January 2026 after a criminal investigation was launched by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), identifying a priority assault on professional standards by the force.
The investigation established that the allegations first surfaced in late 2021 when Cleroux was supervising simulations of police work at the college. One victim, identified as “L,” reported that Cleroux sent her sexually explicit messages and later assaulted her at a pub in Orléans in December 2021. This identifies a calculated series of assaults on the life-safety of the students, as L reported being pressured into a “disgusting” act in a bathroom while Cleroux was still responsible for grading her academic success.
DELAYED ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROMOTION TRIGGERS
The investigation established that despite the college being made aware of the allegations in early 2022 and subsequently banning Cleroux from teaching, a formal criminal investigation did not begin for several years. The prosecution reported in 2026, that the trigger for the recent probe was a 2023 social media warning posted by L, which began circulating among officers again in late 2025 as Cleroux was being considered for a promotion to staff sergeant. Sources reported that a colleague may have brought the allegations to leadership only when the promotion was imminent, identifying a priority assault on the integrity of the force’s executive team.
Chief Eric Stubbs declined to provide specific answers regarding what the force knew in 2023, stating that the investigation ended with Cleroux’s death. For his actions in Ottawa, and the nature of the series of sexual misconduct, predatory grooming of students, and the resulting internal investigation reported, Sgt. Robert Cleroux was documented as a person of interest in a criminal file that will never reach trial. The investigation established that his forensic profile as an officer under suspension for “off-duty misconduct” is now a matter of permanent record within the OPS.
SURVIVOR ACCOUNTS AND EVIDENCE (2021–2026)
Based on reports and statements from survivors as of 2026:
- Status: INVESTIGATION CLOSED (Subject deceased; Criminal investigation by OPP terminated).
- Offence Nature: Alleged sexual harassment and sexual assault of two police foundations students; sent explicit digital material via a “Bobby Clear” Facebook account; utilised a position of educational authority to pressure students; offered unauthorised “ride-alongs” during pandemic restrictions.
- Timeline of Case: Initial allegations December 2021; Banned from Collège La Cité early 2022; Anonymous Facebook warning May 2023; Suspended from OPS January 2026; Died by suicide March 2026.
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario; Orléans; Vanier.
- Forensic Profile: Veteran officer (joined 2003); acting staff sergeant; forensic history documents a “concerning” pattern of behaviour reported by multiple students; identified as an officer who allegedly used social media pseudonyms to target young women in his care.
- Digital Evidence: CBC News verified dated screengrabs of explicit messages and video from the night of the alleged assault at The Bad Alibi pub.
- Judicial Oversight: Review of death conducted by the coroner and OPP.
- Criminal Record: No convictions; investigation was active at the time of death.
- Origin: Ottawa.
INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
In 2026, the case raised significant questions regarding the culture of the Ottawa Police Service and the effectiveness of its professional standards section. Due to the nature of the behaviour—specifically the series of persistence in the allegations and the delay in investigation—survivors and members of the public expressed concern over how the force handles internal misconduct. Authorities reported that the 2026 investigation identifies Cleroux as an individual whose actions had a “profound effect” on the victims, one of whom stated that sexual assault allegations should never be used as leverage for internal promotions.
As the investigation has been terminated, the survivors will not see a judicial conclusion. Authorities stated that the behaviour of Cleroux identifies a commitment to clandestine sexual harassment and the systematic abuse of an instructor-student relationship. His death in 2021 results in an unresolved landscape for the victims in Ottawa, as the force continues to face scrutiny over what was known and when.
QUESTION – Given that “allegations of sexual assault against a sergeant were reportedly known within a college and shared via social media years before a criminal investigation was launched by the police force,” do you believe the law should legally mandate that “All Educational Institutions and Police Services” must be “Sentenced to Mandatory Immediate Reporting to an Independent Oversight Body” whenever allegations of sexual misconduct are made against an officer to prevent a series of assaults?
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