On gun buy-back idea, police didn't get the (proper) memo
Chief said council's request for buy back was improperly delivered to him, instead of the police board
After an active summer of gun violence, the oversight board for the Hamilton Police Service directed police on Thursday to report back on the feasibility of offering money in exchange for people turning in their guns.
The chief, Glenn De Caire, said he couldn't commit to bringing that report back at next month's meeting, but that he could "commit to try." The direction came a day after the service launched a gun amnesty program but said he didn't want to entertain the idea of gun buy-back.
We do not respond to council, we respond to this board.- Police Chief Glenn de Caire
The direction also means that after a three-month delay, council will finally see action on a request — reiterated for a second time earlier this week — it made for police to consider the program.
The chief offered an explanation about why the letter from council sent in May asking the service to consider the gun buy back idea was never acknowledged or responded to.
City council passed a unanimous motion on May 27 after a brazen gunfire episode on Main Street East, asking for reports on gun amnesty and buyback programs.
But, De Caire said, that motion got delivered to the wrong place three months ago: His desk.
Coun. Matthew Green had expressed frustration Wednesday that the police hadn't responded to council's May call.
But De Caire explained Thursday that council didn't follow the protocol of delivering its May demands to the police oversight board. Rather, the notice was delivered to the chief and the Hamilton Police Service, which "circumvents" the board's oversight, he argued.
"The Hamilton Police Service is not permitted to be directed by council, and we do not respond to council, we respond to this board," he said.
'Three months lapsed'
Coun. Terry Whitehead, who sits on the police services board, acknowledged the proper protocols need to be followed but appeared exasperated by the delay in getting the message to the right channels.
Why didn't the chief respond to getting the letter and inform council to send it instead to the board administrator?
"My question is that three months lapsed," Whitehead said. "And I'm asking the question, if we send a letter to the police service wrongly placed — which I acknowledge — you would think in three months that there would be a response back to the clerks or a direction getting to the chair that it was wrongly placed."
De Caire said he spoke with Green about the amnesty program idea after the May shooting on Main Street East. He told him the service had limited staffing due to the Pan Am Games and would get to the amnesty program in September at the earliest.
Other than that, De Caire said he's been trying to "stay focused on what is the main thing. The main thing is removing firearms from our streets."
Otherwise, the chief said he's been in touch with Green on violence in his ward.
"I have openly and proactively communicated with the councillor, recognizing the issue is very important public concern," the chief said.