The Ottawa Police Service has charged one of its own constables with impaired driving following an off-duty incident earlier this month.
Const. Clay Berrea, 25, was charged Friday with operation while impaired and operation while having a blood alcohol concentration equal to or exceeding 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, according to a news release from the Ottawa Police Service. The charges were laid under sections 340.14(1)(a) and 340.14(1)(b) of the Criminal Code.
The charges stem from an incident on October 10, 2026, in which the officer was off duty, the release said. No further details about the incident, including where it took place, were released.
Berrea remains on active duty with the service, but he has been reassigned to administrative duties and is not currently serving in a frontline patrol capacity, police said.
The service did not say how long the reassignment will last or whether any internal disciplinary process is underway.
The OPS holds all officers to a high standard of conduct, both on and off duty, and expects their actions to reflect the trust and values of the community we serve.
The statement appeared in the police news release announcing the charges, issued Friday at 3:35 p.m.
What the charges mean
The two Criminal Code counts are the standard impaired driving charges laid in Ontario. The first alleges that a person operated a vehicle while their ability to do so was impaired by alcohol or a drug. The second is the so-called "over 80" charge, which alleges that a driver's blood alcohol level was at or above the legal limit of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
The charge names come directly from the Criminal Code sections cited by police in their release. The outcome of the case will be determined through the court process, and no court dates were included in the police announcement.
Transparency and community tools
Alongside the announcement, the police service pointed to its Community Safety Data portal at data.ottawapolice.ca, where the public can view, download and interact with data released by the Ottawa Police Service.
Police also encouraged residents to register their information and security camera locations at CAMSafe.ca to support investigations and help make the community safer.
The non-emergency line for the Ottawa Police Service is 613-236-1222, with TTY service at 613-232-1123 for people who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing.
