Off-duty Toronto cop involved in confrontation with crossing guard previously investigated for misconduct

The Toronto police sergeant involved in an incident with an elderly crossing guard in Markham while off-duty, is being identified by a former Occupy Toronto protester as a constable who had previously been investigated for misconduct.

“Just seeing a picture of him brings back memories and makes my PTSD worse,” Angela Turvey, who was arrested by const. Rhoel Ong in March 2012, told Global News on Tuesday.

Turvey immediately recognized Ong from video and pictures of the crossing guard incident posted online.

“It’s just ridiculous this guy has a bad temper and he doesn’t need to be on the force,” she said.

On Oct. 9, Muhammed Hameed, affectionately known as “Mo” to the hundreds of students he helps cross the road every day at two separate schools, said he was the victim of an assault by an off-duty police officer.

The 70-year-old said he banged on a vehicle after it slowed down in a busy intersection, but it did not stop.

That is when Hameed said the passenger got out of the vehicle and became physical with him, forcing him against the car and holding him there until York Regional Police (YRP) arrived.

“He grabbed me, pulled my collar up and tore my vest off and he pushed me across the road,” Hameed said

“He was telling me, ‘I’m a police officer and you are a crossing guard, how can you stop me?'”

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Witnesses captured Iphone video of the crossing guard being held with his hands behind his back by the man who identified himself verbally as a police officer, as parents yelled at him to release Hameed, and demanded he show them his badge.

YRP const. Andy Pattenden said the incident is being investigated but one week later, there are no updates.

YRP has not officially identified the officer involved as Sergeant Rhoel Ong of the Toronto Police Service.

“We won’t identify an individual or their occupation unless we lay charges,” Pattenden said.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Ong recently worked in 51 division on the Community Response Unit. He served in the Philippine Marine Corps back in 1989 for close to two years.

This is not the first time he’s been under investigation.

As a constable in 2012, Ong was the subject of a probe by Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) for the arrest of Occupy Toronto protester Turvey in March of that year.

Ong was one of two Toronto officers who arrested Turvey after she had been camped outside a downtown courthouse.

The SIU said Turvey, 37, had several injuries but it was not clear whether the injuries resulted from being punched by Ong or from her head hitting the ground during the arrest.

“Ms. Turvey said she was punched in the face, and the subject officer said he punched her after she punched at him. After about a thirty second struggle, the officers took her to the ground,” the SIU release said.

WATCH: Older crossing guard gets into scuffle with off-duty Toronto cop

2:59 Older crossing guard gets into scuffle with off-duty Toronto cop

“Officer Ong rushed me and repeatedly beat me in the face … my injuries were a broken nose, a slightly fractured orbital bone and scratches on my eye lenses and my eyes were swollen shut,” Turvey recalled.

She said she is concerned but “not surprised” that Ong was allegedly involved in an incident with a crossing guard.

“To arrest a crossing guard, somebody who is trying to help children, is just ridiculous,” she said, adding “his temper is amazingly wicked.”

Ultimately, the director of the SIU concluded Ong “had both the lawful authority to arrest Ms. Turvey and to use reasonable force” and there was no reasonable grounds to charge him with any criminal offence in relation to the injuries Turvey sustained in 2012.

But Turvey feels Ong should still be penalized.

“They should dismiss him, they should not let him be on the force and he should have some jail time personally, I think.”

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As for Hameed, his daughter said he is recovering and is “thankful the incident happened in front of witnesses.”

“What would the outcome have been if no one was there?” Safra Najeemudeen said.

She finds it concerning that the same officer is being linked to the arrest of an Occupy protester who was badly injured.

“It has us worried about our own safety as well.”

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