Thunder Bay police officer, and Police Services Board face $1.6M lawsuit after man assaulted during mental health call
Judge cites breach of public trust in sentencing officer to probation and community service for excessive force
THUNDER BAY – March 20, 2025 – A Thunder Bay police officer convicted of assaulting a man during a Mental Health Act apprehension has been sentenced to one year of probation and 100 hours of community service, in what the presiding judge described as a “serious breach of public trust.”
Constable Ryan Dougherty, a member of the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS), was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm in September 2024 following a trial in the Ontario Court of Justice. The charge stemmed from an incident on November 8, 2022, when Dougherty used unnecessary and excessive force to detain a 60-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis.
Justice P.T. O’Marra delivered the sentencing on March 10, 2025, emphasizing the importance of general deterrence and public denunciation in cases involving police violence.
“When a police officer commits a criminal offence, he or she also breaches the community’s trust,” wrote O’Marra. “This generally means the sentence imposed on a police officer will be more severe than that imposed on an ordinary person who commits the same crime.”
Assault During Mental Health Call
The court heard that Dougherty had been at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre on an unrelated call when hospital staff informed him that a patient, previously brought in under the Mental Health Act, had left the premises.
Dougherty located the man walking along Oliver Road. A verbal exchange escalated into a physical altercation in which Dougherty pinned the man to the pavement and punched him four times in the face, causing a fractured nose and concussion.
The victim later provided a powerful victim impact statement detailing his psychological trauma, including severe anxiety, isolation, flashbacks, and a deep fear of police, which led him to move out of Thunder Bay.
Sentence: “Closer to custody than discharge”
While the defence argued for a conditional discharge, citing Dougherty’s previously clean record and community support, the judge rejected that option.
Justice O’Marra ruled that the officer’s conduct—assaulting a vulnerable individual in crisis while acting under the authority of the state—was too serious to warrant a discharge. He instead imposed a suspended sentence, noting that Dougherty’s actions “took this case entirely out of the realm of a conditional discharge.”
In addition to probation and community service, Dougherty is prohibited from contacting the victim and must provide a DNA sample. The court also noted the officer’s failure to activate his body-worn camera and failure to report or document the use of force as additional aggravating factors.
$1.6M Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Officer and Police Board
As the criminal matter concluded, Dougherty and the Thunder Bay Police Services Board are also named in a $1.6 million civil lawsuit, filed in Ottawa in November 2024. The statement of claim alleges assault, battery, false arrest, and false imprisonment, and says the incident violated the plaintiff’s Charter rights, including liberty, security of the person, and freedom from arbitrary detention.
The plaintiff is seeking:
- $250,000 in general damages
- $500,000 for lost income
- $150,000 in future care costs
- $250,000 in punitive damages
- $50,000 in special damages
The plaintiff’s wife is also seeking $350,000 in damages, citing loss of income and impact under the Family Law Act.
The civil suit alleges that Dougherty used excessive force unlawfully and that the TBPS Board failed to implement safeguards or policies to prevent such incidents—despite known concerns around police conduct.
“The board failed to identify a systemic problem within the TBPS,” the claim states, adding that the lack of oversight allowed the Charter violations to occur.
The claim also alleges that the victim now suffers from crippling psychological distress, and fears further violence from police due to his race.
“The fear which [he] experiences regarding the police is so great that he has become extremely isolated… fearing that he may be assaulted again without any reason,” the document reads.
None of the civil allegations have been proven in court.
Fallout and Accountability
Constable Dougherty is currently assigned to the Missing Persons Unit and no longer works in patrol. He is also facing Police Services Act disciplinary proceedings and is the subject of a $1.5 million personal lawsuit, served just before sentencing.
Justice O’Marra acknowledged the collateral consequences Dougherty has already faced, including public scrutiny, reputational damage, and strain on family relationships. However, the judge emphasized that the need for accountability, deterrence, and upholding the public trust in law enforcement must take precedence.
