The Chair of the Police Services Board is reacting to word lawyer Tom Lockwood has been appointed as the board administrator.
Celina Reitberger tells us what that will entail.
“He has the final say, which means that we won’t be voting, but we certainly will be giving input, and we will be consulted in terms of how we’re going to move forward.”
The Ontario Civilian Police Commission report says the police board repeatedly failed to address the concerns of the Indigenous community.
The investigation alleges racist attitudes are prevalent in Thunder Bay, including the Police Service, leading the Indigenous community to lose trust in the force.
It claims systemic racism in the force goes beyond a few “bad apples”, and “can be traced back to an absence of leadership from the Board.”
You can read Sinclair’s full report HERE.
Meanwhile, one board member of the Thunder Bay Police Service is resigning ahead of the public release of a report by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission.
Don Smith has reviewed the findings of Senator Murray Sinclair’s investigation into the local board and has decided to step away from his role.
Smith feels strongly that it would be a distraction to the work that Chief Hauth and the Board are about to do to implement many of the recommendations of these recent reports.
He served on a previous version of the board for five years and he recently rejoined.
Smith says the board did their best.
“There are some valid issues in both reports, but was anyone out doing anything purposely wrong, in the case of the board no. The Board has a number of Indigenous policies relating to relationships.”
Smith tells us the report states nobody from the previous board excluding Chair Celina Reitberger can be apart of its current makeup.
“It was basically anybody who was on the board, so if it was Jackie Dojack, Joe Virdiramo or Brian McKinnon they would have been off of the board. They didn’t want anybody on there except for Celina, and I can understand why they want Celina, that’s fine, she’s a great lady.”‘
The board member adds he doesn’t totally agree with the findings in the report, but he must do what is in the best interest of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board and the Thunder Bay Police Service.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says NAN intends to hold the Thunder Bay Police Service Board accountable for its blatant disregard for the concerns of Indigenous people in Thunder Bay.
Fiddler says “the lack of oversight and direction from the Board has put the officers and the citizens of Thunder Bay in harm’s way.”