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The money was later returned to the men and then-chief Vern White launched an internal probe into the matter. White also later called Ferrie’s actions “good police work.”

Noel said in an interview at the time that he felt he “was disrespected, discriminated against and judged because of my colour and because I was driving a Cadillac.”

Noel said he couldn’t explain why there were drugs in the car. “I never knew there were drugs in the vehicle,” he said, at the time. “These guys search the car and then there are drugs there.”

In 2012, both Noel and St. Louis sued the police board and three officers for $95,000 each, plus legal costs. Noel alleged he was falsely arrested and imprisoned. He accused police of breaching his Charter rights and conducting a negligent investigation.

The statement of claim also alleged that Noel experienced emotional and psychological suffering, stress, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. The lawsuit also said he felt unsafe around police and distrusted people in power since the traffic stop.

Noel did receive a settlement, but sources say it was for barely more than $10,000.

Noel’s release on bail last Thursday while he awaits trial on human trafficking charges comes on the heels of a public reveal of a two-year race data project that found that Ottawa police officers disproportionately pulled over middle eastern and black drivers.

Noel was released into his mother’s custody. He is to live with her, abide by a 9 p.m. curfew, not contact the alleged victim, not access escort services or use an escort website and not go to strip clubs or other escort agencies. Noel is also to present himself at his mother’s front door within five minutes of Ottawa police officers’ arriving for a curfew check.

Whether racial profiling is carried out by Ottawa police continues to be a concern for human rights advocates after the release of the data results, the July in-custody death of 37-year-old Somali Canadian Abdirahman Abdi, and racist comments a forensic identification officer made on Facebook under a Citizen article about the death of Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook.

syogaretnam@postmedia.com

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