THUNDER BAY - Nishnawbe Aski Nation and family members of two Indigenous individuals who died in the city are welcoming an inspection of the Thunder Bay Police Service by the Inspectorate of Policing.
The Inspector General of Policing, Ryan Teschner, announced last week that he will be conducting an inspection of the local police service, focusing primarily on how it conducts death and missing person investigations.
The decision to launch the inspection followed complaints received by NAN on behalf of the families of Corey Belesky and Jenna Ostberg. A third complaint was also received involving another Indigenous person who died in Thunder Bay.
“It has been two years since my brother’s death, and we still have no answers from the Thunder Bay Police,” said Donna Belesky, sister of Corey Belesky, in a statement released by NAN. “Our family’s priority is having Corey’s death investigated, and we don’t understand why it has taken so long to get information. We welcome the Inspectorate’s supervision and support and are hopeful that the inspection will help give our family answers.”
Corey Belesky, 31, was found deceased in a home in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2022. Investigators determined the death to be a homicide and three persons of interest had been identified, but no arrests have been made.
The second complaint filed by NAN was on behalf of the family of 21-year-old Jenna Ostberg, who died at a northside residence on Jan. 3, 2024. The Special Investigations Unit launched an investigation after receiving reports the Thunder Bay Police Service did not respond to an initial 911 call involving a domestic disturbance.
The SIU later clarified that the first 911 call was not in relation to violence at the home involving Ostberg and involved an unwanted person breaching court conditions.
A second 911 call was made cancelling the first call, saying the woman had left the property. The SIU did not provide a timeline of the three 911 calls in relation to the incident that night.
According to the statement from NAN, Ostberg’s family had received no communication from the Thunder Bay Police Service between Dec. 30, 2023, until Jan. 8, 2024 and no arrests have been made in relation to her death.
“Our family has not heard from the Thunder Bay Police investigator since January of 2024,” said Vincent Ostberg and Melanie Beardy, Jenna Ostberg’s father and mother respectively, in a statement released by NAN. “Our daughter and her memory deserve a competent death investigation, and we do not have trust in the Thunder Bay Police to perform one. But we are optimistic about the Inspectorate’s involvement, as without the inspection, we are not confident our daughter’s death will ever be competently investigated.”
The statement from NAN goes on to say the Thunder Bay Police Service continues to provide inadequate policing for Indigenous people and the Belesky and Ostberg families have no confidence or trust in the local police to conduct “competent Indigenous death investigations.”
“Our hearts have been with these courageous family members throughout their lengthy and painful struggle to get answers about the tragic losses of their loved ones. The Thunder Bay Police Service is a cold case factory when it comes to investigations into the deaths of Indigenous Peoples, and it is unacceptable that they have been forced to take this action,” said NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler.
“This inspection is an appropriate response to the complaints filed earlier this year and we acknowledge the action taken by the Inspector General. We will do everything we can to support these families and the important work that must be done to uncover the truth and hold those in authority accountable.”
NAN Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum added that missing person and sudden death cases involving Indigenous people have not been taken seriously by the Thunder Bay Police Service, leaving families feeling hurt and disregarded.
“We hope that the inspection by the Inspectorate General of Policing will result in some form of justice for the families of Corey and Jenna and uncover the concrete evidence to address the systemic racism within the TBPS in how they conduct death investigations,” she said. “We further hope the inspection will signify the need for justice and dignity for other unnatural deaths that have not received a competent investigation by this police service.”
The Inspectorate of Policing was created last spring with a mandate to conduct inspections of police services in the province to ensure compliance with policing laws of Ontario and best practices.
Teschner said he expects the inspection of the Thunder Bay Police Service and subsequent report to be completed sometime in 2025.
The Inspector General of Policing can issue binding directions to the police service and failure to comply could result in leadership changes or the disbandment of the Thunder Bay Police Service.
