The dispute between rank-and-file officers and senior leadership at the Saint John police force has moved from internal files into public court records, producing a fraught mix of sworn allegations, administrative findings and competing legal manoeuvres. In a brief statement on April 8, 2026, Chief Robert Bruce called the complaints by several unionized members “disappointing and predictable,” and said most of the grievances filed last summer were dismissed as vexatious or frivolous. At the same time, a group of eight current and former officers has asked a court to review how those complaints were handled, leaving residents and stakeholders watching governance, transparency and workplace culture questions unfold.
The legal filings, many of them recently unsealed, contain detailed accounts from officers who say the force has experienced a persistent toxic workplace since the chief’s appointment. Plaintiffs include Insp. Samantha McInnis and others named in filings — Sgt. Stacy Humphrey, Staff Sgt. Andrew MacBean, Sgt. Andrew Belyea, Const. Christopher Messer, Const. Donald Shannon, Const. Duane Squires, and Const. Mary Gellatly — who allege patterns of harassment, favouritism and retaliation. The officers are seeking a judge’s intervention to overturn dismissals of their complaints and to require a fresh review; the city board and the New Brunswick Police Commission have applied to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing the officers lack legal standing.
Allegations, examples and internal findings
The court documents offer specific allegations about language and behaviour in meetings and briefings. Among the claims, one officer recounts Chief Bruce using demeaning terms about colleagues and making comments about an injured officer that the complainant found deeply troubling. An independent investigator who reviewed parts of those complaints concluded that some remarks were founded; the result, according to the filings, was an informal resolution in which the chief acknowledged inappropriate language and agreed to executive coaching. Nevertheless, much of the material was later dismissed by the city’s police board as not made in good faith, a conclusion that the plaintiffs dispute in court.
Surveys and reviews cited by officers
To support their assertions about workplace harm, the officers referenced a 2026 union survey in which roughly one in three respondents reported being affected by harassment or bullying, with about 85 per cent of members participating. They also point to a 2026 University of New Brunswick study that indicated many employees were experiencing recent mental health symptoms and a 2026 provincial management review that described the work environment as “poisonous, hostile, harmful, and unsafe.” The filings say these assessments correlate with rising numbers of officers on leave or restricted duty and with declining morale across the roster.
Procedural dispute and recent court steps
Procedural fairness is at the heart of the legal fight. The officers argue the Saint John Board of Police Commissioners displayed bias when it dismissed complaints and that Bruce’s status as a non-voting board member created a conflict. The city board counters that it properly processed allegations and notes that much of the material was deemed frivolous by the provincial commission before being referred back to the city. A temporary sealing order initially limited publication of parts of the records; that order was later modified by Court of Kings Bench Justice Kathryn Gregory, who allowed documents to be released with redactions and emphasized that the materials remain allegations until proven.
Evidence, recordings and contested details
The filings include references to covert recordings and to disputed accounts of closed-door remarks. The police board has accused at least one complainant of breaching conduct by making recordings; the independent investigator’s reliance on some recorded material was one reason the board questioned parts of the investigator’s conclusions. These procedural quibbles now form a core part of the judicial review sought by the officers, who contend their complaints were never given a full, impartial hearing and that governance flaws have left remedies out of reach.
Operational effects and what comes next
Beyond legal theory, the dispute carries immediate operational implications. Officers and documents cited by plaintiffs link leadership actions to staffing stress, training denials and promotion blockages that, they say, harm the force’s ability to serve the public. Financials and labour relations have also played a role: after members rejected a collective agreement, an arbitrator later awarded a 15.4 per cent wage increase over three years following a hearing in November; the police board is pursuing legal action to overturn that award. Meanwhile, tensions over governance prompted the city to commission an independent review of police governance after councillors raised concerns.
As the judicial process advances, the competing narratives — a chief who says most complaints were dismissed and officers who seek a fresh, impartial examination — will determine whether internal remedies are reopened or whether courts must direct a new path. In the short term, the case highlights how allegations of a toxic workplace and questions about procedural fairness can intersect with labour disputes and institutional governance, forcing public institutions to balance confidentiality, accountability and public confidence.
