Ottawa police community grieves death of officer who died by suicide

09-Mar-2026

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The Ottawa police community is grieving the death of a veteran officer who died by suicide.

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) confirmed on March 6 that an officer had died, although the circumstances were unclear at the time.

On Marc 7, Matthew Cox, the president of the Ottawa Police Association, said that Sgt. Robert Cleroux died by suicide on Friday evening.

It happened off duty, he said.

"Everybody [knew] him as Bobby," Cox said in an interview, adding that he knew Cleroux personally as both a colleague and friend. "He was one of those guys that you knew would always be there to have your back. A great frontline community neighborhood police officer."