275 replies to this topic

[spanky123]

I guess if it doesn't work out as Chief in Victoria he can always get a job at Russ Hayes.

[mat]

CFAX is reporting Rob Reid's comments...

REID WAS ONE OF THE CANDIDATES ASKING THAT THE CHOICE BE PUT OFF UNTIL AFTER A NEW MAYOR WAS ELECTED. BUT TODAY HE SAYS HE'LL PUT FAITH IN WHATEVER CHOICE THE CURRENT POLICE BOARD MAKES. "IF THE BOARD AND MAYOR LOWE HAVE MADE A SELECTION THAT'S THE PROCESS AND THAT'S WHY THEIR IN THAT POSITION."

WHEN ASKED WHAT HE THINKS OF FORMER VANCOUVER CHIEF JAMIE GRAHAM POSSIBLY GETTING THE VICTORIA JOB, REID SAYS WHAT THE ACTUAL POLICE OFFICERS THINK IS THE IMPORTANT QUESTION.

(note the 'their' vs grammatically correct 'they're' - someone at CFAX did not pass elementary english)

Reid should have stuck to his original statement and premise - the appointment of a Police Chief is a political process, and the new head must be able to work with the future council and police board, not the current. Postponing the decision for 2-3 weeks would not have been a hardship.

Yes, the new Chief must be able to work with the officers and staff, but approval by the rank and file should not be the main criteria for a choice.

[Caramia]

I think that this was a good call on Rob's behalf. He made his statement, and it is clear that council has no intention of making the delay. When faced with not getting his way, Rob is signaling that he is willing to work with the result of whatever choice they make. I respect that.

[rjag]

I'm leaning towards Bill Naughton, he's risen through the ranks and has instituted some good stuff this past year.

Either way this decision will be scrutinised very closely and will have detractors regardless of the choice.

At least this will be the end of a sad chapter.....

[mat]

This is becoming a hot issue, just a few days before the election - candidates are weighing in.

CFAX - A VETERAN CITY COUNCIL IS ADDING HIS VOICE OF CONCERN TO THE LIKELY CHOICE FOR VICTORIA'S NEXT POLICE CHIEF.

CHRIS COLEMAN SAYS HIS JAW DROPPED WHEN HE HEARD MEDIA REPORTS THAT VANCOUVER POLICE CHIEF JAMIE GRAHAM WAS ONE OF THE FINAL THREE CANDIDATES FOR THE TOP COP'S JOB.

COLEMAN ADMITS TO BEING OUT OF THE LOOP, BUT SAYS HE IS CONCERNED IF GRAHAM IS IN FACT SELECTED AS THE NEW CHIEF.

HE SAYS THE OPTICS OF CHOOSING A NEW CHIEF BEFORE THE ELECTION ARE "AWFUL"--BUT QUESTIONS WHETHER THAT WOULD BE THE CASE IF THE NEW CHIEF WAS "SOMEONE WHO IS NOT CONTENTIOUS."

COLEMAN SAYS WHOEVER IS CHOSEN AS THE NEW CHIEF, THE POLICE FORCE TO BE ABLE TO "MOVE FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE" AFTER CHIEF PAUL BATTERSHILL WAS PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AMID ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT.

I wonder if CFAX is phoning around seeking comments?

[spanky123]

Based on recent experience, the "new chief" will be named, work for about 2 weeks and then claim that he differences in opinion with the new board / mayor have caused his resignation. We will then pay him a couple hundred grand in severance and be back to square one.

[VicHockeyFan]

Based on recent experience, the "new chief" will be named, work for about 2 weeks and then claim that he differences in opinion with the new board / mayor have caused his resignation. We will then pay him a couple hundred grand in severance and be back to square one.

Ya, you beat me to it. Or in the grammar of CFAX, you beet me to it, sounds like your right. If you work in the media aren't you suppose to be a good writer?

[mat]

Unbelievable - if anyone heard Lisa Kordasco reporting on the 5:30 pm CBC radio news. Quote from Alan Lowe - "The choice of a police chief is not a political decision".

If so, then no elected official should be anywhere near a police board, or have any say what-so-ever on police management, or selection of the senior officer.

We have a police board, with elected officials and provincial appointees, for public oversight - it is political by default!!! Vic PD Board.

CFAX report from BCACP

NO ISSUES IF GRAHAM IS NAMED TOP COP: BCACP
Nov 12, 2008
THE PRESIDENT OF THE BC ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE SAYS A FINDING OF DISCREDITABLE CONDUCT AGAINST FORMER VANCOUVER POLICE CHIEF JAMIE GRAHAM WON'T "CREATE ANY ISSUES" IF HE IS NAMED AS VICTORIA'S NEW TOP COP.

MIKE CHADWICK, WHO IS ALSO THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE SAANICH POLICE DEPARTMENT, SAYS WHILE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO THE NEW CHIEF IN VICTORIA WILL BE, GRAHAM'S CONVICTION WOULDN'T PROHIBIT HIM FROM BECOMING CHIEF.

CHADWICK SAYS HE IS SURPRISED THAT THE POLICE BOARD WOULD TRY TO BRING IN A NEW CHIEF BEFORE SATURDAY'S ELECTION. HE SAYS IF HE WERE RUNNING FOR MAYOR, HE WOULD WANT TO HAVE INPUT ON NEW CHIEF, KNOWING THAT THE MAYOR, WHO IS ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE POLICE BOARD, IS A DIRECT LINK TO COUNCIL.

BUT CHADWICK ALSO SAYS THE PUBLIC SHOULD PUT THE FINDING OF DISCREDITABLE CONDUCT "IN CONTEXT" AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GRAHAM'S ACTIONS.
- NIKKI EWANYSHYN

So even Mike Chadwick feels the appointment timing is bizarre.

[mat]

Catherine Holt, member of the police board has resigned this evening, during the meeting to ratify the new police chief. TC.

thanks to North SHore for phoning the news to me...

[spanky123]

Thanks for the lead Mat.

I guess that this is Alan Lowe's way of giving the people of Victoria the big middle finger before he leaves office.

I hope that anyone considering doing business with his firm returns the favour.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Here's Catherine Holt's bio page on the Sage Group. Good for her, she sounds like she has integrity.

[Ms. B. Havin]

I guess that this is Alan Lowe's way of giving the people of Victoria the big middle finger before he leaves office.

Not sure I understand how Catherine Holt's resignation is Alan Lowe's way of... etc. Am I missing something?

[mat]

Here's Catherine Holt's bio page on the Sage Group. Good for her, she sounds like she has integrity.

Catherine Holt was/is (?) a provincial appointee to the police board - I understand the meeting got fairly heated (CBC radio news), but her proposal to wait until a new board could be configured was voted down by all others (as reported by the TC, and cfax, it cannot be a 'unanimous' vote even if one member abstains - good grief the local media needs some grammar and 'word' editors)

Her profile from Sage Group - (thanks MS B), shows she has experience as a management consultant, and likely very clued into procedure and politics - let alone ethics. Personally I congratulate her for making a stand, and hope Dean and Barb seriously consider a review.

CFAX- POLICE BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS DURING MEETING
Nov 18, 2008
THE VICTORIA POLICE BOARD HAS LOST ONE OF ITS MEMBERS.

CATHERINE HOLT RESIGNED THIS EVENING AFTER PROPOSING THE BOARD WAIT TO HIRE A NEW POLICE CHIEF UNTIL THE NEW CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TAKE THEIR SEATS AT THE BOARD.

THAT PROPOSAL WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED DOWN AND HOLT QUIT SHORTLY AFTER.

SHE TOLD 'A NEWS' THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHIEF AND THE MAYOR IS CRITICAL "ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE NOW KNOW WHO THOSE TWO PARTIES ARE, THEY WERE ELECTED, I THINK THEY ARE NOW THE PARTIES THAT SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC OF VICTORIA AND THAT THE CURRENT MAYOR SHOULD NOT BE SIGNING THE CONTRACT."

HOLT HAD SERVED FOUR YEARS ON THE BOARD.

FORMER VANCOUVER POLICE CHIEF JAMIE GRAHAM IS RUMORED TO BE VICTORIA'S NEW TOP COP.

[spanky123]

Not sure I understand how Catherine Holt's resignation is Alan Lowe's way of... etc. Am I missing something?

What I was suggesting is that Alan, as chairman of the board, is being unreasonable in hiring a new police chief knowing that the vast majority of the vocal community would rather wait until the new Mayor(s) take office.

I seem to recall reading that this is not even a scheduled police board meeting but one that was rushed by Mayor Lowe to hire the chief.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Well, this is odd... I read the T-C story about Holt's departure last night, but today, when I click through on the link, I get "Sorry, this article is no longer available." Temporarily, or just some glitch? It's still on the front page (online); maybe it's being updated??

Victoria police board member quits over hiring of new chief

Says she's unhappy with decision to hire new police chief before new mayors are on the job

A Victoria police board member resigned Tuesday evening over the process being used to appoint the city...

[Ms. B. Havin]

Update: never mind, the story is back and available.

[mat]

Now we are getting some statements from The Mayor elects (TC)

Fortin intends to hire a private management consultant to review internal management practices on the force, and that may mean implementing 360-degree performance reviews, where staff appraise their superiors' performance as well as the other way around.
Amalgamation of police forces, however, is one of Desjardins' top concerns. Esquimalt council has asked the province for an external review of the existing arrangement with Victoria, and it's at the top of her list when she takes office in December.
"I'm interested in amalgamation in terms of expanding to further municipalities," Desjardins said. "It's been five years since amalgamation was forced on us. It's time to see if this funding model, service model and governance model is the best fit."

[mat]

The news out of VicPD keeps getting better...CFAX

ENIOR POLICE SERGEANT SUSPENDED PENDING INVESTIGATION
Nov 20, 2008
A SENIOR SERGEANT IN THE VICTORIA POLICE FORCE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED AS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INAPPROPRIATE DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION BEGINS.

THE DEPARTMENT WON'T GIVE THE OFFICER'S NAME OR ANY INDICATION OF THE NATURE OF THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION IN QUESTION.

POLICE DO SAY IT IS NOT CONNECTED TO ANY CURRENT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.

THE ALLEGATIONS WERE RECEIVED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS SINCE MADE THE OFFICE OF THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION AWARE.

THEY'VE ALSO REQUESTED AN EXTERNAL INVESTIGATION TO BE HEADED-UP BY CENTRAL SAANICH DEPUTY CHIEF CLAYTON PECKNOLD AND MEMBERS OF THE DELTA AND ABBOTSFORD POLICE FORCE.

THE INVESTIGATION IS EXPECTED TO TAKE SIX MONTHS, MEANWHILE THE MYSTERY SENIOR SERGEANT WILL REMAIN SUSPENDED WITH PAY.
- NIKKI EWANYSHYN

Dysfunctional is a term that comes to mind.

[spanky123]

Now we are getting some statements from The Mayor elects (TC)

This makes no sense. Management styles are dictated by the type of person you hire and not a consultant. If Fortin had spent any part of his life working in a real organization and dealing with real people he would know this.

The reason why the Victoria police department is disfunctional is that they have disfunctional leadership at all levels. A consultant won't make that go away.

[mat]

This makes no sense. Management styles are dictated by the type of person you hire and not a consultant. If Fortin had spent any part of his life working in a real organization and dealing with real people he would know this.

The reason why the Victoria police department is disfunctional is that they have disfunctional leadership at all levels. A consultant won't make that go away.

The point was and is, management consultants review operations within both city administrations, and private companies that have major contracts - in this case of course Catherine Holt was a provincial appointee, but the argument stands.

Dean Fortin is and Barb Desjardins are actually outside of this, as they are newly elect, and had little/no prior influence on the police board. A consultant, through reporting, and actions like resigning, does influence internal management, whether through highlighting in-proper procedure, or guiding new procedures.