Ottawa Police Service & Ottawa Police Services Board

[J.OT13]

Bailey Gauthier demanded to know if the board would return to a hybrid structure for its meetings, allowing online delegations (they must now be in person); whether the police would be included in the mayor’s promise of a line-by-line audit of city hall budgets; whether the board would freeze the police budget until that audit was complete; and whether it would commission an independent, human rights-based review of the police service.

To be fair, those are legitimate questions. Will they make it easier for delegates to participate? If Sutcliffe wants a review of all expenses at the City, the Police should not be excluded from that, as they often are, even though they are often the most criticized and scrutinized City "Department" by the public. And the Police has some deep rooted issues surrounding human rights.

The group may not have taken the best approach to get themselves heard, but that does not mean those questions should not be answered.

[rocketphish]

Ottawa Police Services Board postpones election of new chair citing 'unforeseeable circumstances'

Megan Gillis, Ottawa Citizen
Published Dec 30, 2022 • 1 minute read

The Ottawa Police Services Board has put off the scheduled election of a new chair at a special meeting called for Friday morning.

Minutes after the meeting began, interim chair Suzanne Valiquet said the election had to be postponed “due to unforeseeable circumstances.” She did not explain them further.

The board then moved in-camera to discuss a confidential personnel matter that was also on the meeting agenda, which had been publicly announced Thursday night.

The board’s members also include Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, city councillors Cathy Curry and Marty Carr, and Michael Doucet, Salim Fakirani and Peter Henschel. Curry was not present Friday, board staff said at the meeting, which was held virtually by Zoom and live streamed on YouTube.

It’s been a year of upheaval for the Ottawa Police Services Board in the wake of the three-week “Freedom Convoy” protests last winter.

Chief Peter Sloly left the force Feb. 15, a day after the federal government invoked the Emergency Act to end the protests, and longtime city councillor Diane Deans was ousted as chair of the police services board 24 hours later.

On Nov. 29, Sutcliffe and Ottawa ‘s new police Chief Eric Stubbs were confronted at their first police services board meeting by local activists who disrupted the proceedings with what they called an act of civil disobedience.

The seven-member civilian body overseeing the Ottawa Police Service includes three city council representatives, one citizen appointed by city council and three provincial appointees.

Its roles include hiring and assessing the performance of the city’s police chief, setting overall objectives and priorities for policing in consultation with the chief, approving the service’s annual budget and preparing a business plan every three years.

-with files from Aedan Helmer and Andrew Duffy

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...chair-citing-unforeseeable-circumstances

[J.OT13]

More secrecy. Great way to win the people's trust back.

[rocketphish]

Police services board appoints chair in four-minute meeting with little to no public notice
Suzanne Valiquet noted she was the board's most senior member, given her past service on it, and said she was "happy to support the board" as chair.

Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 10, 2023 • 5 minute read

After a tumultuous, controversial and highly-scrutinized year for the Ottawa Police Services board, its members re-appointed their chair last week in fewer than four minutes and with no public notice they would be choosing a chair.

Members unanimously elected Suzanne Valiquet, the citizen appointed to the police board by the last city council, to continue as chair.

It’s a job that council voted last month to give a much higher honorarium to, considering the responsibility of the role and time required. But the city clerk confirmed Tuesday that Valiquet would continue to be compensated at the previous rate: a chair’s honorarium of $1,000 a month, slightly higher than what she’d be paid otherwise, as a non-council member of the board.

Planned compensation for the next citizen elected chair of the police board is $54,000 annually. Recruitment of that person, who will replace Valiquet, is underway and expected to conclude in February. Valiquet said that she wouldn’t be applying and that it was time to make room for another resident after her six total years on the board.

Valiquet returned to the body charged with governance of the Ottawa Police Service last February at the invitation of then-mayor Jim Watson, replacing vice-chair and citizen appointee Sandy Smallwood, who had resigned.

Her council-endorsed appointment came during the upheaval in board membership during the convoy occupation, which included the ousting of chair Diane Deans, who was replaced by then-councillor and former chair Eli El-Chantiry.

Valiquet took over as interim chair after El-Chantiry, who did not run for re-election, left office in mid-November. His short tenure back on the board included the contentious decision to hire a new chief just days before the municipal election.

On Dec. 29, media were advised of a special police board meeting to be held the following day that would include the election of a chair. But Valiquet said during that meeting, streamed live on Youtube with no camera on — technical difficulties, she advised this newspaper — that, due to “unforseeable circumstances,” the election was being postponed.

The board held another special meeting on Jan. 5, when Valiquet was re-appointed as chair. But the meeting notice, issued an hour before, only advised that the board would be convening to discuss two confidential personnel matters in camera, and was not received by staff at this newspaper who did get the Dec. 30 meeting notice, though board executive director Krista Ferraro said it was sent to media.

“From time to time, there are extenuating circumstances that require the board to meet and hold a special meeting to conduct its business; this is what took place on January 5. Due to the fact that it was our first meeting of the year, the board was required under the (Police Services Act) to hold an election,” Valiquet said Tuesday.

Currently out of the country on a personal trip, Valiquet did not grant a request for an interview, but agreed to respond to emailed questions.

The election took less than 90 seconds. According to Ferraro, all board members were present at the meeting — a “technical issue” had the Zoom feed on speaker view, she said, so it was not possible to know just from watching the video all who were there — and motions to suspend the rules of procedure and re-appoint Valiquet as chair — which member and Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry brought forward — were carried unanimously, Ferraro confirmed.

The seven-member board comprises Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Alta Vista ward Coun. Marty Carr, Curry, Valiquet and provincial appointees Michael Doucet, Salim Fakirani and Peter Henschel.

Valiquet is founder of Momentum Planning and Communications, which has served clients behind high-profile local developments from Timbercreek of Heron Gate to the Château Laurier addition by Larco Investments.

In her response to this newspaper, Valiquet noted she was the board’s most senior member, given her past service on it, and said she was “happy to support the board” as chair.

City clerk Rick O’Connor confirmed Valiquet had been receiving the chair’s honorarium under the old rate of $12,000 annually, $1,000 a month pro-rated, since moving into the role in November, and this would continue until a new council-appointed civilian member took her place on the board.

Valiquet previously served as vice-chair following her return to the board in February, a role with an honorarium of $10,000 per year. The honoraria for non-council members on the board who aren’t chair or vice-chair is $8,000 annually.

It was through a Friday media release from Horizon Ottawa, a progressive activist group and frequent police board critic, that this newspaper discovered a chair had been selected the previous day. After being contacted on Monday, the board published a media release about Valiquet’s re-appointment as interim chair. Asked about the timing, Ferraro said the board typically issued a release when it elected a chair, but she had been ill last week and away from the office on Friday.

Curry brought forward a motion at council last month to increase the honorarium paid to a citizen chair of the police board to $54,000, funded from money that would go towards additional staffing support for a council member appointed to the board if they were to serve as chair.

Sutcliffe, who campaigned on a promise to “recruit a strong, independent community member” to serve as police board chair, spoke in favour of the motion. Both Sutcliffe and Curry noted the demands of the job, which Curry described as “unbelievably time-consuming,” and the mayor pointed out it was less than what Toronto paid its police board chair.

“To ask somebody who’s not a city councillor and serving the public in a full-time capacity to take on that role is a lot to ask when we’re paying that person $12,000,” Sutcliffe said at the time.

The city is accepting applications for a new citizen appointee until Jan. 23. Following that, a selection panel will review them and make a recommendation to council for a vote.

Meanwhile, the police board and its current chair have significant work on the horizon.

At a meeting scheduled for Jan. 23, Valiquet said, they will consider a report on directions for the 2023 budget, including a plan for public engagement.

The board will limit public presentations at that meeting to one hour in total. It’s a change board members discussed in December, but one Ferraro said they were not expected to vote on before the February meeting.

Asked why they were going ahead with it now, Valiquet said that, while the board had not officially changed its bylaw, it had “received feedback from the community that the previous model was not working and the board is trying a new format at its January 23 meeting.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...-meeting-with-little-to-no-public-notice

[J.OT13]

$12,000 to $54,000. Quite the raise. That's no longer an honorarium; that's a salary.

[rocketphish]

Ottawa police faces leadership shifts ahead of key budget debate
Applications for citizens wanting to serve on police board accepted until Jan. 23

Kate Porter · CBC News
Posted: Jan 12, 2023 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

Ottawa's new police Chief Eric Stubbs was already preparing for his first budget, but now the force has seen its top administrator retire and it received a new board chair just weeks before the document is presented — one that usually elicits strong debate about how much to spend on policing and where to find savings.

On Jan. 6, chief administrative officer Blair Dunker retired just one year into taking the job. Her predecessor had been fired.

At an October meeting, she forecast the police service would be in a "pressure situation" to keep finding efficiencies after struggling to do so in 2022.

She won't be around to deal with the situation and in her place is former deputy chief Steve Bell, well known to the public while representing the police during the convoy protest.

Meanwhile, the new chair of the police oversight board, Suzanne Valiquet, is likely temporary.

She was appointed to the police board last February on a turbulent day of the convoy protest. That was the same day several board members were ousted or resigned.

Valiquet then replaced former city councillor Eli El-Chantiry as chair after he did not seek re-election last fall, but she might not be long for the role.

Her term expires when the city appoints a new citizen member. The deadline for applications is Jan. 23 and council should approve all public board appointments by early March at the latest, according to city clerk Rick O'Connor.

Council gets to appoint just one civilian to the police oversight body and the mayor hopes whoever is chosen might have the skills to become chair — and be better paid for their time.

For many years a city councillor has chaired the police board, including El-Chantiry and Diane Deans.

But the new city council acknowledged it's a significant job that requires significant time, too much for an elected official who also has their own committee, council, constituent and ward issues to manage.

The city estimates current police board members spend between 25 and 40 hours a month on board business while the chair can spend 10 hours per week beyond that.

The police services board has also been in the limelight many times in recent years, especially during the convoy protests and the movement to reduce police funding.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe promised during the fall election to recruit a qualified and independent community member to serve on the board, and even chair it. New police legislation in Ontario would also set out how board members must represent a city's diverse population.

To attract someone with skills in management, finance, governance and more, city council last month decided to more than quadruple the $12,000 honorarium to $54,000 per year. It pointed out Toronto's police board has long been led by a full-time chair.

Last winter, former chief Peter Sloly and former board chair Deans were key public faces at budget deliberations when advocates pushed for a freeze on police spending and a boost to mental health and community programs.

In the end, the board settled on giving the force a smaller increase than it wanted, based on a property tax increase of two per cent, or $13 million.

This year, before any debate has yet begun, the force has been given a similar task. In December city council asked it to craft a budget based on a two to 2.5-per-cent tax increase, or between $13 and $15 million.

As discussions continue about the force's finances, its executive will also see change.

Later this month the board will discuss how to permanently fill the two deputy chief vacancies of Bell and the position once held by Uday Jaswal, who was suspended in 2020 for allegations of sexual harassment.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ot...023-budget-chair-administrator-1.6710500

[J.OT13]

The city estimates current police board members spend between 25 and 40 hours a month on board business while the chair can spend 10 hours per week beyond that.

So let's be generous and say 40 hours per month, so that's a little over 10 hours per week. Add that 10 hours per week they speak about and we're at 20 hours/week.

54,000/52/20 = $52 per hour for a part-time job that is supposed to pay an honorarium, not a salary.

[rocketphish]

Why Ottawans should care about secret police board meetings
You’d think, with all the controversy surrounding Ottawa's police, that its oversight body wouldn't engage in such shenanigans.

Mohammed Adam, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 19, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 3 minute read

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe came into office promising to heal division and run a transparent government, something that was sorely lacking under his predecessor. And to bring leadership to a city that had lurched from crisis to crisis on everything from bungled light-rail tansit to the convoy protest, Sutcliffe said this in a tweet: “Fresh eyes, full transparency, proper oversight and risk-management – that’s what I promise as Ottawa’s new mayor.”

That’s why it is hard to explain why Sutcliffe would lend his name — worse, participate — in a secret meeting, held almost without public notice, outside the view of Ottawa residents, to select a new chair of a police board that’s supposed to be accountable to citizens. And this from a board that has been in turmoil all year and needed to make a clean break from a troubled past. Sutcliffe has started well as mayor, but this surely can’t be part of his style.

In case you haven’t been paying attention, let’s recap. The Citizen reported that the Ottawa police services board on Dec. 29, notified the public of a meeting the next day to appoint a new chair. Strangely, the meeting was postponed due to “unforeseeable circumstances.” You’d expect that the meeting would be rescheduled in public to select the chair. Wrong. Apparently, openness doesn’t mean a thing to this board.

Next thing you know, another meeting was held Jan. 5, and the notice, issued an hour before it took place, said it would be held in-camera — that is, behind closed doors. On the agenda were two confidential personnel matters. One matter turned out to be the appointment of Suzanne Valiquet as chair. No one knew about the appointment: not the public and not even the media. All seven board members — Sutcliffe, Valiquet, Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr, Kanata North Coun. Cathy Carry, and provincial appointees Michael Doucet, Salim Fakirani and Peter Henschel — participated in the charade.

We can discount the provincial appointees, who are really not accountable to Ottawa residents. But to have the mayor and two councillors lend their name to this farce raises questions about Sutcliffe’s promise of transparency. The Citizen only learned about the appointment from a community group, Horizon Ottawa, and kudos to it for keeping a watchful eye. It was only after a reporter contacted the board five days later that it issued a press release confirming the appointment.

Why the board went through this rigmarole to simply pick a chair is incomprehensible. Why would the board not just hold a public meeting, pick Valiquet and get it over with? And why not issue a public announcement after the meeting? It makes you think that the talk about unforeseen circumstances forcing postponement of the first meeting was a ruse, a deception. But why? What’s to be gained by the deceit?

You’d think that with the controversy and lack of public confidence surrounding everything to do with police services in Ottawa, the oversight body would be the last to engage in such shenanigans. The only plausible explanation of this bizarre behaviour is that this board has scant regard for transparency. Which raises the question of why Sutcliffe went along with it. Why did he not insist that this be done in public? The mayor owes residents an explanation.

But, more importantly, why should you care? This seems small and inconsequential, but it is not. Municipal government, which is supposed to be the closest to people, must operate with openness.

Sunlight must always shine through its work and you should worry if it starts to operate in secrecy. Picking one member as chair is not a big a deal, but if the police board feels empowered to resort to secrecy for the most mundane of things, how far would it go to hide the important things? That’s why you should care.

The previous city government engaged in secrecy for its own sake, and that’s why, among other issues, we got an LRT system that doesn’t work. We can’t tread the same path again.

Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected]

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-why-ottawans-should-care-about-secret-police-board-meetings

[rocketphish]

'The OPS needs continued investments': New police chief provides his perspective on the service
Ottawa police chief Eric Stubbs called for investment into the public's trust in the force, plus increasing demand for services Ottawa's police can provide.

Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 24, 2023 • 4 minute read

There are some people who believe investing in the police isn’t a good thing. Eric Stubbs, the new chief of Ottawa’s police service, isn’t one of them.

He told the board responsible for governance of the police service exactly that in his first verbal report since taking over as chief in November.

“The OPS needs continued investments to ensure that we can meet the demands of this great and growing community,” said Stubbs at the Monday night meeting.

He made the case for investments in a handful of thematic areas based on observations after his first few months on the job.

One was trust in policing.

“I understand that trust has eroded in the past year, and we have work to do to earn that back and restore the trust,” said Stubbs. He went on to note that he has good reason to believe it’s possible.

He’d spoken already with leaders from diverse communities across the city: Indigenous, Muslim, Sikh, Jewish, and Congolese. Early conversations also extended to the Ottawa Mission, local business improvement areas, and two entities that advise the police service and city hall, respectively: the community equity council and the community safety and well-being committee.

There are more people to meet, he says, but “the overwhelming theme is that they are interested in working with us, working with the police service, whether it’s to tackle issues specifically in their individual communities or with the community as a whole.”

Another theme was the increasing demand for services the Ottawa police can provide. “I can see our chronic challenge to provide the adequate resources needed to satisfy that demand,” Stubbs said.

Auto theft was one area Stubbs cited – something that has “plagued the province of Ontario and Ottawa as well” – and another was hate and bias crime. Reported incidents of the latter were up 13 per cent last year.

“But we first need to focus on increasing our frontline resources so members can attend these calls in a timely manner and still have time for meaningful, proactive work,” said Stubbs. “I can’t emphasize (enough) the importance of frontline officers having the time to be proactive and positively interact with the community instead of going from call to call.”

Stubbs also referenced demand for more police presence targeted at road safety; “ongoing pressure” surrounding cybercrime; and policing for protests, major events and state visits, like that of incoming U.S. President Joe Biden.

There was one area where the chief noted support for the OPS relinquishing responsibility: non-criminal calls for service, typically involving mental health crises, addictions or homelessness.

“We need to work in partnership with city hall and the social services sector to better manage these issues and shift some of these responses to those that are more experienced in these areas, and police aren’t the primary responders. This is what the community is saying, they said it today, and we agree with them.”

Stubbs’s verbal report to the board came on the heels of presentations by members of the public, many of whom advocated for rethinking proposed spending on policing, including the upcoming $400-million draft OPS budget. Board members voted Monday to approve its drafting based on a 2.5 per cent tax increase, up from the two per cent the service got last year.

Stubbs spoke as well about modernizing the service’s facilities and its administrative support, such as IT and human resources.

“In the past, during times of fiscal restraint, in an effort to … realize budget savings, these areas have suffered and the results, to be quite frank, have been predictable. We need to return some of their resources so we can give them a chance to succeed and do their jobs.”

Stubbs said the force should invest in its ability to provide meaningful data for internal and external use, and also needs a digital evidence management system that should, in the new chief’s opinion, include the use of body-worn cameras – of which Stubbs said he’s a “big supporter.”

With respect to the long-planned south facility in Barrhaven — to replace the aging Leitrim and Greenbank police stations, which now has a 50 per cent higher price tag – Stubbs said the service needs to refocus “to ensure that we have a modern workspace that supports our members and supports the community.”

Stubbs was hired as chief after the resignation of Peter Sloly during the Freedom Convoy occupation, with the position filled on an interim basis by deputy chief Steve Bell.

A 30-year veteran of the RCMP with key roles in British Columbia and in Ottawa, Stubbs said OPS team – senior leadership, the Ottawa Police Association and the senior officers’ association – have “gone out of their way to not only welcome me into this new role but to guide me through some interesting ups and downs in first few months.”

-With Postmedia files

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...-provides-his-perspective-on-the-service

[J.OT13]

We keep pouring more and more money down the drain for the police. If Sutcliffe insists on a line by line review of City spending, the same should be done for the Police. We should not give them one cent more until we finish such a review.

[Norman Bates]

Should the OPS wear body cameras?

When this question last arose it didn’t proceed beyond the Police Service Board.

But we now seem to be living in a different time. A time where even our interactions with Bell or Rogers are being recorded for quality purposes.

Shouldn’t we want to pursue those same purposes when being served by our taxpayer-funded Ottawa Police Service?

[DarthVader_1961]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

Should the OPS wear body cameras?

When this question last arose it didn’t proceed beyond the Police Service Board.

But we now seem to be living in a different time. A time where even our interactions with Bell or Rogers are being recorded for quality purposes.

Shouldn’t we want to pursue those same purposes when being served by our taxpayer-funded Ottawa Police Service?

If I had my way , all uniformed officers would wear them…. Not sure I understand the objection officers raise to wearing them. Surely they realize it would useful to them?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by DarthVader_1961

If I had my way , all uniformed officers would wear them…. Not sure I understand the objection officers raise to wearing them. Surely they realize it would useful to them?

Body cameras would make them accountable for the actions. Well, not really. They would probably be above the law, but it would be even more obvious that they are overpaid for not doing squat.

Sad state of affairs that OPS had to say that this year, they might actually do their jobs and uphold the law during "Freedom" protests, unlike last year.

[rocketphish]

Police board OKs $15.2M budget increase, new public feedback rule
Chief says $401M budget is a response to increased demand

Avanthika Anand · CBC News
Posted: Feb 28, 2023 9:25 AM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

After a three-and-a-half hour meeting Monday, the Ottawa Police Services Board approved a $401 million budget for 2023.

The police budget is increasing by $15.2 million, or about $17 for the average household. Money is being allocated to hiring 25 new officers, buying more hybrid vehicles and a new body camera project.

Ahead of the meeting, Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs said this increase was necessary in the face of rising demand and inflation.

"People are asking for us in a lot more different areas: the rural areas, the outlying areas, in the downtown core. They want more of us in the [ByWard] Market," he said.

"There [are] increasing demands everywhere and we have to respond to that … With a growing community, the only way to do that is to invest in policing."

Before the board could approve its budget, it heard from a number of people who voiced their concerns about the increase.

"We continue to put money toward police services, when [it] could be put toward helping people and helping the most vulnerable people in this community … It's incredibly disappointing." said Chloe Humber, who attended the meeting as a public delegation.

"The police want more of everything. More cops, more money, more share of the budget." said Inez Hillel, another public delegate.

"Do you ever ask them when they will have enough? When will you admit that more police is not equal to more safety?"

Other public delegations cited a growing housing crisis and the need for more mental health services as more important issues to spend on.

There were also concerns about changes to public delegation rules.

A plan originally proposed by the board's policy and governance committee would have seen public delegations moved to a separate, lunch-hour meeting where delegations would get three minutes of speaking time each if more than 12 people wanted to speak.

"The real feedback you get is from many other sources, not just these delegations," said Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry, who was in favour of the change to noon.

"[That] would work to make this space less accessible for public delegates," said Farnaz Farhang, who attended Monday's meeting as a delegate.

Farhang said she was concerned working professionals and parents would be unable to join noon meetings.

"By separating the public delegations to a different time … you would be sending a clear message that you're not actually here to listen to the public's ideas and concerns and involve them in a meaningful way in the discussions that impact their day-to-day experiences."

Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr proposed that public delegations remain at normal board meetings, but people must submit their planned comments in writing ahead of time.

"We heard a lot from the delegations that they want us to ask questions. I understand that and I know it's easier for me to ask a question if I read material ahead of time," she said.

"Requesting that people submit material ahead of time was included so that we can have an opportunity to dialogue more with those that are delegating."

Board members eventually settled on Carr's proposal to keep public delegations at the main meeting with those requirements for written remarks in advance.

City council will debate and approve the full 2023 budget Wednesday.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-police-2023-budget-increase-public-rule-1.6762432

[J.OT13]

Police proved that they were incompetent and useless last year. They get rewarded with a 4% budget increase while OC Transpo gets decimated.

[J.OT13]

Steve Bell, the guy who was in a key leadership position when the OPS totally botched the Convoy invasion has been promoted to CEO of the OPS. I guess Chief woukd have looked bad, so he got another low-profile, high-pay cushy job.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ot...023-budget-chair-administrator-1.6710500

[Norman Bates]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Steve Bell, the guy who was in a key leadership position when the OPS totally botched the Convoy invasion has been promoted to CEO of the OPS. I guess Chief woukd have looked bad, so he got another low-profile, high-pay cushy job.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ot...023-budget-chair-administrator-1.6710500

Chief Administrative Officer, CAO - not CEO.

Not exactly a promotion. I’d argue that it’s a non-operational, pre-retirement job. Not exactly a cushy job. More a thankless but necessary administrative function. I would doubt that it would result in much if any change in his pay rate.

Say what you will about Steve Bell and the Convoy. There’s a lot of blame to go around the OPS. But it was Steve Bell as interim Chief who got them out of town. With a lot of help from across Canada.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

Chief Administrative Officer, CAO - not CEO.

Not exactly a promotion. I’d argue that it’s a non-operational, pre-retirement job. Not exactly a cushy job. More a thankless but necessary administrative function. I would doubt that it would result in much if any change in his pay rate.

Say what you will about Steve Bell and the Convoy. There’s a lot of blame to go around the OPS. But it was Steve Bell as interim Chief who got them out of town. With a lot of help from across Canada.

I do apologize for using the wrong term.

We don't often disagree Mr. Bates, but I must disagree with you on this one. To me, it seems Bell either sat back and watched the former Chief fail miserably in the hopes he would get fired so he could take over his job, which would be neglect of duty, or he was as incompetent as the rest of them.

The Deputy Chief should not be a "yes man", they should challenge the chief when needed.

Comments he made during the Convoy to justify the OPS's inaction were also frustrating, like saying Jerry cans might be filled with water.

Also not sure if I'd give any credit to Bell for the efficient way the Convoy was cleared out at the end of it all. I suspect that had more to do with the Emergencies act and a greater role from the RCMP and OPP.

As for the CAO position, I'm not sure what it entails, but it comes with a take home service vehicle and/or generous car allowance, based on the drama with the last guy who was fired. Not sure how that's necessary.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-police-jeff-letourneau-vehicle-defence-1.6408832

Based on how fast Bell was hired to replace the outgoing CAO, but judging on how quickly that went, not sure there was a proper hiring process. Seems this was a consolation prize for him and those who wanted to see him become chief.

https://oapsb.ca/news/chief-administrati...ice-de-police-dottawa-prend-sa-retraite/

There's a lot of mistrust if the OPS due to their continued incompetence, lack of transparency, unwavering support of criminal cops like Montsion, protection of hate symbols llike the thin blue line (banned by OPS, to their credit, but supported by the Union).

[rocketphish]

Prominent psychiatrist recommended as new chair of Ottawa police board
'Her experience, community insight, leadership, and championing of the health needs of women, children and persons with disabilities will be a great asset.'

Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 21, 2023 • Last updated 29 minutes ago • 3 minute read

An accomplished youth psychiatrist and mental-health care leader has been recommended as the new chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board.

City council will be asked Wednesday to approve Dr. Gail Beck, the interim chief of staff and psychiatrist-in-chief at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, as the new citizen appointee to the board. Members would then be responsible for electing her to the chair’s role.

The recommendation of Beck by a panel that included Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and councillors Cathy Curry and Rawlson King followed an “extensive community recruitment,” according to a memo from the police board’s executive director, Krista Ferraro, obtained by this newspaper.

“Her experience, community insight, leadership, and championing of the health needs of women, children and persons with disabilities will be a great asset to the board, as it guides, provides oversight and sets strategy for the Ottawa Police Service,” Ferraro wrote.

Beck is also the clinical director of youth psychiatry at The Royal, where she’s been on staff since 2002, according to the hospital’s website.

Bilingual and a medical school graduate from McGill University in 1978, according to LinkedIn, Beck currently chairs the board of directors at Algonquin College. Her previous board experience spans years at the Ontario Medical Association and Canadian Medical Association, and she was previously the president of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada.

The OPS board chair also serves as its official spokesperson, and Beck is no stranger to the media, regularly writing and being interviewed about issues related to youth mental health. Her writing has included columns for the Citizen.

Sutcliffe campaigned on a promise to take one of three seats on police board reserved for members of city council and to “recruit a strong, independent community member” to serve as police board chair.

Previous to this term of council, when communications consultant and past police board member Suzanne Valiquet has filled the role, the chair of the Ottawa Police Service’s oversight board has for years been a city councillor.

Between 2009 and 2018 it was then-West Carleton-March Coun. Eli El-Chantiry’s post. He returned to it last February, replacing then-Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans, and continued in it until departing from his council post last fall. Deans had occupied the board chair’s role throughout the last council term, and had been the board’s first post-amalgamation female chair, until her dramatic ousting during the convoy protest.

Sitting on the board with Sutcliffe this term are councillors Curry and Marty Carr, alongside Valiquet and three provincial appointees. When recruitment for a new chair was underway earlier this year, Valiquet told this newspaper it was time to make room for another resident after her six total years on the board, and said she would be leaving.

Beck’s appointment comes at a time of reckoning — in society, and inside city hall — with the role of the police when it comes to mental heath and addictions. The city, with the involvement of the Ottawa Police Service and other institutional and community partners, has been engaged in work to set up an alternative response to such calls.

The panel’s recommendation of Beck was to be released publicly on Friday, in a report included on the agenda for next week’s council meeting.

In December, council voted to increase compensation for the next citizen elected chair of the police board to $54,000 annually, considering the responsibility of the role and time required. The previous chair’s honorarium, which Valiquet receives, is $1,000 a month.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...nded-as-new-chair-of-ottawa-police-board

[J.OT13]

The state of policing is already bad enough as is, now he wants to eliminate the need for post-secondary education? And axe tuition a the Ontario Police College.

I can think of MANY more professions that are more in need of staffing than the police. They've made some changes to encourage the trades, but not enough. And what about nurses and their wage increase limits?

Ontario eliminating post-secondary education requirement to become police officers

By Liam Casey and Allison Jones The Canadian Press
Posted April 25, 2023

https://globalnews.ca/news/9649201/ontario-eliminating-basic-constable-training-tuition-fees/