Calgary police chief tells city council an independent review of shootings will take place

Calgary's police chief says the department is setting up an independent review of the high number of police-involved shootings this year.

Calgary police have shot and killed more people than any other force across Canada in 2016.

Chief Roger Chaffin and the new head of the Police Commission, Brian Thiessen, were at city council today getting grilled on a number of issues, including the shootings.

"We're seeing an erosion in the public confidence in our police service, and I think that is something we need to ensure the public does have, that confidence." said Coun. Brian Pincott.

Outside review

Chaffin told council his deputy chief is now trying to finding someone on the outside who could oversee such a review.

"I want someone to bring a set of eyes to this that are unique to us," he said after the meeting. "If we're just to bring someone who used to be in policing or someone who's been in policing quite a bit, you tend to look at the world through a very narrow set of lenses."

Thiessen said he thought it was important for the chief to stand up in public and make clear he's pursuing the review. 

"We are all focused and aimed at [a] zero-death policy, and we're going to work very hard together with the service to make sure that we address issues around officer-involved shootings," he said. 

Chaffin said he's aware the public is eager for answers and that he doesn't want the review to take too long.

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