Province to probe appointments to Edmonton police commission, citing 'alleged dysfunction'

The appointments of a new chair and vice-chair for the Edmonton police commission were overshadowed Thursday when the provincial government committed to an inquiry into the appointments of two new commission members.

The request for an inquiry, which came from the Edmonton Police Service, was soon followed by the resignation of a commissioner on the same day. 

"Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee has provided me with a formal application by the Edmonton Police Service, with respect to the increasingly dysfunctional relationship between the City of Edmonton council, the Edmonton police commission, and Edmonton Police Service," Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said in a statement to CBC.

"This ongoing dysfunction is negatively impacting public safety, public trust and the ability to deliver adequate and effective policing, putting public safety in Edmonton at risk."

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

"Under Section 30 [of the Police Act], I intend to launch an inquiry into this alleged dysfunction. I understand the two positions being contested have agreed that it would be appropriate to step away while a investigation was being held," Ellis said. 

"I agree, and therefore during the inquiry, the two positions that are being contested will be put on hold until the inquiry is completed, and all matters are considered." 

Earlier Thursday, the Edmonton police commission announced Ben Henderson, a former city councillor, as the new chair. 

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

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

Jones was a member of EPS for 25 years and is now the chair of justice studies at NorQuest College. 

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

"EPS is concerned about the erosion of the governance relationship between city council and the EPC, which serves a vital role as the guardian of public trust providing civilian governance and oversight of the service," a news release from EPS said on Thursday. 

"Due to the operation of privacy legislation, EPS can identify only the names of these public officials and not the nature of the concerns, which generally relate to public-facing activities undertaken by the two appointees in either private or professional capacities."

Ellis's statement said "the allegations contained in this complaint are neither minor nor frivolous and choosing to launch an inquiry is not done lightly."

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

"Our hope is that everything will work out, but ... when these things are raised, it's much for the commission's sake as anybody, it's just really important that we be absolutely clean, and we felt we needed to do the third-party review to just establish that," Henderson said. 

"Our position is to sit between council and EPS," he said.

"This is about the appointments to commission, which is none of the commission's business. The commission should not be in the business of appointing itself." 

Controversy after controversy 

Jones issued a public statement following his resignation. 

"I had not anticipated that providing this service to my fellow Edmontonians would cause such consternation and concern arising from any real or perceived conflict of interest which may or may not be determined," he said. 

"Not wanting to have my term as a commissioner clouded 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 chair follows the resignation of John McDougall who stepped down in mid-December after public controversy over his plan to stay on the oversight body 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.