Province to launch investigation into Edmonton police commission citing ‘alleged dysfunction’

The appointment of a new chair and vice-chair of the Edmonton Police Commission was overshadowed Thursday after the provincial government committed to an investigation into a request by the Edmonton Police Service for two police commission appointments.

The request was quickly followed by the resignation of a commissioner on the same day.

“Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee has given me a formal application from the Edmonton Police Service regarding the increasingly dysfunctional relationship between the City of Edmonton Council, the Edmonton Police Commission and the Edmonton Police Service,” Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said in a statement to the CBC.

“This ongoing dysfunction negatively affects public safety, public trust and the ability to provide adequate and effective policing, putting public safety in Edmonton at risk.”

Disputes between any police service, commission, police committee or council relating to police services may be referred to the minister, Ellis noted in his statement.

“Pursuant to section 30 (of the Police Act) I intend to launch an inquiry into this alleged dysfunction. I understand that the two posts being contested have agreed that it would be appropriate to step down while a investigation was held,” Ellis said.

“I agree and therefore the two positions in dispute will be put on hold until the investigation is completed and all matters are addressed.”

Earlier Thursday, the Edmonton Police Commission announced Ben Henderson, a former city councillor, as the new chairman.

Shazia Amiri, who has experience working with various non-profit organizations and provincial ministries, was appointed as vice-chair.

The announcement soon followed an investigation request by EPS, directed to the province, about the appointment of two commission members: Renee Vaugeois and Dan Jones.

Dan Jones was a former member of EPS for 25 years and is Chair of Justice Studies at NorQuest College.

Renée Vaugeois is executive director of the John Humphrey Center for Peace and Human Rights.

“EPS is concerned about the erosion of the governance relationship between the City Council and the EPC, which serves a vital role as guardian of the public trust, providing civilian governance and oversight of the service,” an EPS press release said on Thursday.

“Due to the application of privacy legislation, EPS can only identify the names of these public officials and not the nature of the concerns, which generally relate to public-facing activities carried out by the two appointees in either a private or professional capacity.”

Ellis’ statement says, “the allegations in this complaint are neither frivolous nor frivolous, and the decision to initiate an investigation is not an easy one.”

When asked about the EPS request, Henderson told the CBC that concerns had been raised about the two commissioners regarding possible conflicts of interest.

“Our hope is that everything will work out, but … when these things are brought up, it’s as much for the sake of the commission as anybody, it’s just really important that we come clean and we felt we had to to do the third-party review just to determine that,” Henderson said.

“Our position is to sit between council and EPS,” Henderson said.

“It concerns appointments to the commission, which is not the commission’s business. The commission must not participate in appointing itself.”

Controversy after controversy

Jones issued a public statement following his resignation.

“I did not anticipate that providing this service to my fellow Edmontonians would cause such consternation and concern as a result of a real or perceived conflict of interest that may or may not be determined,” he said.

“Not wanting to have my tenure as commissioner overshadowed or overshadowed by these concerns for the next two years, I believe the community would be best served by my resignation from the commission.”

Henderson’s appointment as chairman follows the resignation of John McDougall, who stepped down in mid-December following public controversy over his plan to stay at the watchdog until the end of 2026 while living in Portugal.

Ellis said he will have more details on the scope of the provincial inquiry into the commission appointments in the coming days.