'It doesn't feel good': Calgary police chief says of data showing morale at all-time low

Morale within the Calgary Police Service (CPS) is at an all-time low.

Only 13 per cent of CPS members feel morale is "good" at work, according to the employee satisfaction surveyreleased by the Calgary Police Commission (CPC).Just over half of the services 3,100civilian and sworn members participated in the survey.

There were at least four areas where employees reported feeling worse about their jobs than any previous year, including perceptions of leadership and feeling valued.

"It certainly doesn't feel good," said Chief Mark Neufeld of the results.

"I'm going to take responsibility for it, it reflects on all of us for sure, but at the end of the day, the person responsible is me."

93% feel CPS understaffed

But Neufeld says the issues reflected in the employee survey are not unique to CPS.

"It's broader than that," says the chief.

Although other police agencies don't gather the same data on employee satisfaction, Neufeld says he's hearing similar issues from counterparts across the country.

The most problematic issue identified by employees was staffing.

Only seven per cent of CPS members feel the service is adequately staffed.

Budget boost means more police

Part of the issue was the pandemic, which brought on higher-than-expected attrition numbers and trouble keeping up recruitment levels.

Neufeld says he has a plan; he's already exceeded a goal of hiring 135 new officers this year and council approved a budget that will allow for even more hires.

The police commission says the 2023-2026 budget it brought to council will help fill the gaps and enable the service to fill vacancies.

• Staff shortages are hurting morale, impacting investigations, Calgary police survey says

Heading into 2022, Neufeld says one of his priorities was to stand up for members, which he feels he's done.

But the chief says he needs to do a better job at communicating that because, "It's like a tree falling in the forest.If nobody hears it, it didn't happen."

"I think folks right now are feeling as though they're being criticized a lot and I think we have a lot of officers concerned that if they make a mistake they could lose their jobs.So I want to make sure with all of the things they need to be concerned about right now, one of them isn't us, internally."

Neufeld added: "Employees have been really good in telling us what's important to them.We have not been really good in responding to that."

Relationship with commission on the rocks

Another area of concern for CPS members was their relationship with the police commission.

Of those who responded, 87 per cent said they don't trust the commission's governance and oversight.

Part of the issue could betied to the "thin blue line" controversy that took place over several months earlier this year.

For some, the patch, which shows a thin blue line running through a depiction of the Canadian flag, is seen as a way to remember fallen officers. But the symbol has also become associated with white supremacy, an interpretation that led to the commission's review of its use.

In March, the Calgary Police Commission directed the service to remove thin blue line patches from uniforms.

'Relationships not in a very good state'

Officers became "incensed" by the directive, said Neufeldat the time. Then, the Calgary Police Association told its members to defy the commission's order.

This led to the commission allowing a grace period for officers to continue wearing the patch without reprimand while its use was discussed. That grace period ran out at the end of May.

In an interview with CBC News, police commission chair Shawn Cornett said the thin blue line controversy "highlighted relationships that were not in a very good state." She said the commission's communication with officers "was not good."

"The employee survey this year sends a clear message that employees want action," said Cornett, who acknowledged an "urgent need to better support those who serve."

• Calgary police union 'reluctantly' directs officers to remove thin blue line patch from uniforms

Cornett said the commission takes the findings to heart and will try to do a better job communicating with members.

The chief points to a new way of operating at CPS called Pathways to Engagement, which prioritizes improving morale and engagement based on six problematic areas within the workplace identified by employees.

Pathways came into effect in September so Neufeld says it will take time before its goals and actions are reflected in satisfaction surveys.

The Calgary Police Association did not respond to a request from CBC News for an interview.