TORONTO, January 9, 2026 – Allegations of racist remarks made by a senior manager at Ontario’s police watchdog have thrown the agency into turmoil, delaying a crucial hearing and reigniting questions about accountability in investigations of police conduct.
Workplace Harassment Claims Delay Probe Into Police Shooting
A Labor Relations Board hearing has been postponed after a key witness failed to appear, stalling a case involving disturbing allegations of racial bias within the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
- A complainant alleges a senior SIU manager described a Black man shot by police as “a black drug dealer who had it coming.”
- The manager is also accused of making disparaging remarks about the tattoos of a Black investigator and an Indigenous colleague.
- The SIU denies the allegations and claims the manager wasn’t involved in the case of Moses Erhirhie, the man who was shot.
- The Erhirhie family is together challenging the SIU’s decision not to charge the officer involved in the shooting.
- The delayed hearing raises concerns about transparency and accountability within the agency responsible for overseeing police investigations.
Q: what are the specific allegations against the SIU manager?
A: The complainant alleges the manager said of Erhirhie that he was “a black drug dealer who had it coming.” The manager is also accused of making disparaging remarks about the tattoos of a Black investigator and an Indigenous colleague.
The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) hearing, postponed until at least April, was intended to shed light on the claims.Dolores Rosita Langer, stepmother of Moses Erhirhie-the man at the center of the shooting and the alleged racist comments-expressed her frustration with the delay. “I was hoping for a bit more progress. I was hoping to be able to garner some more facts,” Langer said. “I’m extremely disappointed.”
The complainant alleges the senior manager said of Erhirhie, 35, that he was “a black drug dealer who had it coming.” Sources confirmed to reporters that the comment referred to Erhirhie’s case. The complainant also alleges the manager made offensive remarks about colleagues,stating a Black investigator’s tattoos suggested “her as gang affiliated,” and referring to an Indigenous colleague as “monkey knows better.”
The SIU vehemently denies the allegations. In a statement, the agency said it takes claims of discrimination seriously and asserted the manager in question had no involvement in the Erhirhie case, which was handled through a “multi-step process.” The agency’s written response to the OLRB claims the complainant’s application is “without merit and should be dismissed in it’s entirety.”
OLRB vice-chair Rishi Bandu expressed his concern over the delay, noting the case has been ongoing for two years. “the delay in this case is undue. It’s been going on for a very long time,” Bandu said. “It’s unusual for a matter to be delayed this long without any progress in the evidence.” He urged both parties to resolve outstanding issues befo
