Mayor Sutcliffe giving up seat on police oversight board
Sutcliffe had campaigned on helping reform the board following controversy
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is giving up his regular seat on the Ottawa Police Services Board, the body that oversees the city's police force.
Sutcliffe campaigned on renewing confidence in the service in light of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS)'s response to the 2022 truck convoy protest. He also talked about "taking the politics out of policing" at a time when many were calling for decreased police funding.
His campaign platform suggested he would "ensure proper leadership" by taking his seat on the board and securing appointees with the necessary skills and experience.
"The kinds of issues we were dealing with in 2022 are not as prevalent in 2025," Sutcliffe told CBC on Tuesday.
"I think we've come a long way and the team at the police service, under the leadership of Chief [Eric] Stubbs, has come a long way in regaining public confidence."
Mayors are guaranteed a seat on the civilian-led board, but some — including Sutcliffe's predecessor Jim Watson for much of his tenure — opt to cede the spot to a councillor.
Funding, recruitment efforts in focus
Sutcliffe noted that the police force still has a "long way" to restoring trust, but he feels there has been progress.
"They acknowledge that, and they talk about it all the time," he added.
Some of the police issues highlighted in Sutcliffe's campaign remain a focus for the police force, including funding and the need to focus resources on at-risk groups.
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The force is in it the midst of a "stabilization plan" to address staff shortages and excessive overtime. It's also recently completed contract negotiations for one of two police unions that it hopes will help to attract and retain talent.
Funding issues related to the draw on resources for national protests and events also remain a concern, though the OPS has netted millions in funding to beef up security in the capital.
The board also continues to focus on improving relationships with minority communities, recently brought again to the fore through recommendations from the inquest into the 2016 death of Abdirahman Abdi after a violent arrest.
Shaky political ground
When Sutcliffe made his promise in 2022, the work of the police services board and its membership were under scrutiny in light of the truck convoy protests.
One of its duties, recruiting or appointing the chief of police, drew particular attention.
After Peter Sloly resigned as chief in the middle of the protest, the board chair at the time, Diane Deans, announced an interim chief whose contract ultimately only lasted for two days.
The quick decision created political acrimony and led to Deans' ouster by Watson in a marathon, emotional council meeting that also saw an overhaul of other council representation.
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It would take another half a year for the board, now chaired by then-councillor Eli El-Chantiry, to seek to name a new police chief.
That act once again drew negative attention as the hiring fell right before a new city council took office.
While Sutcliffe supported the decision, his rivals in the mayoral race did not. They called for an investigation into a potential conflict as El-Chantiry was an honorary co-chair on Sutcliffe's campaign.
At the time, Sutcliffe explained that he respects the board's independence.
New board member from Gowling WLG
Sutcliffe said he will continue to engage with the board, but he wants to focus on other priorities including lobbying efforts, public transit and affordable housing.
"All those things take time, and I want to invest as much energy as possible in those," he said.
The job description for board members notes its "significant time commitment," including a monthly expectation of spending 25 hours reviewing materials or attending meetings and events.
The Ottawa Police Services Board recently regained its full makeup of three council representatives, a civilian appointed by council and three provincial appointees.
The latest addition is Michael Polowin, a partner with Gowling WLG. The prominent legal firm often represents the city and provided legal advice to the board during the Abdi inquest.
Chair Salim Fakirani, a lawyer for the federal government, took over leadership of the board when Dr. Gail Beck resigned — on the same day her son was charged with drug offences.
Coun. Marty Carr is the board's vice-chair and Coun. Cathy Curry also sits as a member.
Council's nominating committee approved the move on Tuesday to remove Sutcliffe from the board and fill his seat with Coun. Steve Desroches.
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With files from Kate Porter