Families With No Recourse for Racist and Incompetent Death Investigations Welcome Inspection of the Thunder Bay Police Service
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Posted by Shelby Percival
- Posted in BlogsNews
On October 10, 2024, Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing announced it will undertake an inspection of the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) following complaints filed by the families of Corey Belesky and Jenna Ostberg in April 2024.
Corey Belesky was 31 years old at the time of his death. At approximately 1:10 a.m. on November 1, 2022, the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) was dispatched to a residential address following reports of an injured male. Following the arrival of TBPS, an adult male inside the home was pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased was later identified to be Corey Belesky. Despite the TBPS’s confirmation that the sudden death was being investigated as a homicide, and despite suspects being identified, to date, the death investigation has not been concluded and no charges have been laid.
Jenna Ostberg was 21 years old at the time of her death. On January 3, 2024, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) published a news release which stated that a 21-year-old woman, later identified as Jenna Ostberg, had been found dead in a Thunder Bay home after TBPS officers did not respond to a 911 domestic disturbance call. The family of Jenna Ostberg received no communication from the TBPS between December 30, 2023, until January 8, 2024. To the family’s knowledge, no one has been charged in relation to the death of Jenna Ostberg.
The inspection will evaluate how well the TBPS conducts death and missing person investigations, focusing on compliance with the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA), and will assess how the TBPS and the TBPS Board are addressing past recommendations made by other oversight bodies that have reviewed policing and police governance in Thunder Bay.
Falconers LLP is honoured to represent the families of Corey Belesky and Jenna Ostberg.
Related Documents and Links:
- NAN Press Release – October 11, 2024
- Inspectorate of Policing News Release – October 10, 2024:
- Ostberg Complaint – April 22, 2024
- Belesky Complaint – April 22, 2024
Media Coverage:
“Oversight body announces inspection of Thunder Bay Police and Thunder Bay Police Services Board” – CBC News – October 11, 2024
Related Posts:
https://falconers.ca/families-with-no-recourse-for-death-investigations-call-for-disbandment-of-thunder-bay-police-service/ – April 22, 2024
https://falconers.ca/no-confidence-in-tbps-as-unsolved-indigenous-deaths-continue-to-mount/ – April 20, 2024
