Former police board members 'troubled' by complaint against Hamilton Coun. Kroetsch
Bobby Hristova | CBC News | Posted: March 23, 2024 8:00 AM | Last Updated: March 23
Alok Mukherjee, former Toronto police board chair, thinks Hamilton's police board needs a 'thorough review'
The former chair of the Toronto Police Services Board and a former member of Hamilton's Police Services Board (HPSB) have serious questions about the complaint against Hamilton councillor and police board member Cameron Kroetsch.
"I have concerns about what's happening there," Alok Mukherjee, former chair of the Toronto police board from 2005 to 2015, said in an interview.
"It is always difficult to prove intent, so whether intentional or not, the impact on Kroetsch is certainly silencing," former HPSB member Jane Mulkewich wrote in an email.
Kroetsch said in a March 11 statement that HPSB launched the complaint to muzzle him, calling it "procedurally unfair, an abuse of process, biased, and personally motivated."
He said he's required to pause all HPSB-related activities as the investigation is underway.
The complaint filed to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) has not been made public and HPSB chair Pat Mandy told CBC Hamilton the OCPC asked her not to make public comments about it.
The complaint alleged Kroetsch violated the Police Services Act's code of conduct when he made comments on social media critical of the police.
The complaint claimed Kroetsch violated two sections of the code of conduct: That he failed to discharge his duties "loyally, faithfully, impartially" in line with the police services act, and failed to "inspire public confidence in the abilities and integrity of the board."
It also alleged he contravened the act when he made a motion at a council committee meeting in November to have city staff set up a process to have Hamilton police get council approval before spending surplus funds. The same rules would apply to the public library.
It said doing so also violated two sections of the code of conduct, by failing to discharge his duties "loyally, faithfully, impartially" in line with the police services act, and failed to "inspire public confidence in the abilities and integrity of the board."
The complaint comes amid tensions between Kroetsch and the majority of board members that flared during the police budget process, with Kroetsch publicly calling for more transparency and scrutiny.
Former board chair says HPSB should undergo review
Mukherjee said the board resorting to a formal complaint against one of its own members is a "bad sign," adding that the "unusual procedures" in this situation "affects the board's credibility in the community."
He also said it doesn't seem the police board has taken community concerns about the police budget seriously enough.
He notes how HPSB members used "majority muscle" to vote down motions by board members Dr. Anjali Menezes and Kroetsch to reduce the police budget without much discussion despite the fact city councillors sent the budget back to the HPSB to find savings.
"We have to ask ourselves, why did this councilor feel compelled to raise issues at council?" Mukherjee said of Kroetsch. "I'm troubled."
Mulkewich said the complaint by the board leaves her with more questions than answers.
"I am not aware of any of Kroetsch's conduct that I personally would say is a violation of the Code of Conduct," she said.
Mukherjee said there should be a "thorough review" of HPSB's ability to provide effective governance.
Kroestch previously noted how Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General previously ordered a review of the Peterborough Police Services Board amid dysfunction in 2017.
The Ministry of the Solicitor General didn't answer questions from CBC Hamilton about the process for triggering such a review now.