The arrest of seven Toronto police officers following a months-long corruption probe has prompted a review of the province’s police services and boards.

Is the corruption scandal simply a matter of a “few bad apples”? Not according to SFU criminology expert Marie Ouellet, who says that this familiar explanation overlooks how misconduct emerges and spreads within police organizations.

“Policing is not only about policies or procedures – it is about relationships,” says Ouellet, assistant professor, School of Criminology.

“Seldom is corruption down to individual bad actors, but rather the network in the middle. Whether an officer upholds ethical standards or bends to group pressures depends not just on formal rules, but on the network of peers shaping their daily decisions.

“Recognizing this reality suggests that meaningful change in policing requires more than top-down policies – it requires reshaping the very networks that define the profession.”

In a recent paper published in the Annual Review of Criminology, Ouellet highlights that police corruption, and the silence that can protect it, often follows informal officer networks: the workgroups, trusted partners, and tightly knit “crews” that can develop in departments.

Ouellet suggests network science – the process of mapping informal connections between officers – can bring hidden dynamics into view.

Traditionally, police early-warning systems to prevent misconduct have focused on individual histories, such as past complaints. A network approach adds a critical new layer by asking different questions: Who is this officer connected to? Are high-risk behaviours concentrated within particular peer groups?

Ouellet says this would enable leaders to address issues early, provide targeted support and prevent problematic behaviour before it escalates.

“When we start from a ‘bad apples’ framework, the solution is often to remove a few individuals and assume the problem is solved,” Ouellet says.

“But if misconduct is embedded in networks, removing one officer may do little in changing the conditions that produced it.”

AVAILABLE EXPERT

MARIE OUELLET, assistant professor, School of Criminology 
marieo@sfu.ca