Cop Who Threatened to Kill Tenant and Sell His Child Over Late Rent Demoted

An off-duty police officer who drove a tenant to a dead-end road where he threatened to murder him and sell his child because off a late rental payment has been demoted for a year.

Last month, Ottawa Const. Nermin Mesic pleaded guilty to two counts of discreditable conduct under Ontario’s Police Services Act, which sometimes supplements criminal charges against police officers with discipline.

Despite ruling his actions constituted “an embarrassment to the Ottawa Police Service” in an August 31 decision, retired deputy chief Terence Kelly demoted the officer from a first-class to a second-class constable and ordered him to continue to do therapy.

According to an agreed statement of fact included in the decision, first reported on by the Ottawa Citizen, Mesic met his tenant on February 5, 2016, at a Tim Hortons in Gatineau, Quebec, to discuss repayment and ordered the tenant into his car. Before getting in, the tenant started audio recording on his phone.

During the drive, Mesic started yelling and saying he wasn’t a man to "fuck with.”

“I guarantee you I’m going to spill blood,” Mesic said.

Mesic then drove the tenant to a dead-end road off a highway, came to a stop, and ordered him out of the car. Mesic then exited the car and threatened to kill the man.

“People for money, they kill right? Your life is not worth to me $2,000,” Mesic said.

“I guarantee you, I’m going to feed you to the fish,” he said later.

The two then got back into the vehicle where the verbal threats continued. Mesic said his tenant couldn’t “hide” from him.

“You know I’m going to come after you, I’m going to find out where you live, I’m going to find out how you live, and I’m going to—I’m going to bury you,” he said.

“I will fucking take your kid and I will sell it. I don’t give a fuck.”

Mesic dropped the tenant off near the Tim Hortons and said he had a day to come up with the rent money.

The next day the tenant handed over the audio recording of the threats to Gatineau police but opted not to press charges.

The following day, Mesic called the tenant, ordered him to leave his property, and threatened to hang him if he didn’t. The tenant also recorded this interaction and handed it over to the police.

Police arrested Mesic that day and charged him with uttering threats, assault, forcible confinement, and intimidation. Mesic was suspended with pay.

Mesic pleaded guilty to uttering threats in February 2019 and was given an absolute discharge, meaning he has a clean criminal record and no punishment.

The police officer said he wasn't thinking straight because of the night shift and had a history of saying "stupid shit" that he shouldn't.

In the past three years while he’s been suspended, Mesic has made Ontario’s sunshine list of all public sector employees who earn over $100,000 annually. Last year, Mesic earned $102,527.

In 2009, Mesic was convicted of discreditable conduct and insubordination for slapping a youth in the face.

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