Roland Morrison Seeks $2.5 Million, Claims Termination Was Pre-Planned and Racially Motivated
Thunder Bay, ON – February 4, 2025 – Former Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) Chief Roland Morrison has filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against the force, alleging that his termination in October 2024 was pre-determined, unjustified, and racially motivated.
According to a statement of claim filed in Ontario Superior Court, Morrison, 52, is seeking $1.8 million for lost pay, arguing that he was unfairly dismissed before the end of his contract, which was set to run until March 2029.
Allegations of Unfair Dismissal and Racial Discrimination
Morrison, who began his career as a jail guard before rising through the ranks to become Chief of Police in 2019, was placed on administrative leave in March 2024 following a complaint related to his former spouse, a Detective Staff Sergeant with NAPS.
The statement of claim alleges that Morrison was:
- Not informed of the investigation’s outcome after attending an interview in May 2024.
- Told the complaint was not serious and would not affect his employment.
- Targeted in a “fishing expedition” to justify his termination.
- Treated differently due to his Indigenous background, violating Ontario’s Human Rights Code.
Morrison’s lawsuit also claims that most senior positions in NAPS are held by non-Indigenous personnel, which contradicts the force’s founding principles set by Nishnawbe Aski Nation elders and Chiefs in 1992.
NAPS to Defend Against Allegations
NAPS, which polices 34 First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, has filed a notice of intent to defend the allegations but has not yet issued a formal statement of defence.
