Police board chair denies 'conflict of interest' in pursuit of new police chief

The Ottawa Police Services Board is defending its pursuit of anew police chief, despiteclaimsit should wait for a new council to take office.

Mayoral candidates Catherine McKenney and Bob Chiarelli wrote a letter to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission on Tuesday requesting it look into what they called, "a potential conflict of interest."

They asked theindependent agency to investigate whether the current board overseeing the Ottawa Police Service is "exercising its mandate appropriately" in regard to its plan to hire a new chief before the end of its term the new council takes office on Nov. 15.

Mark Sutcliffe is the only leading mayoral candidate to support this move, according to McKenney and Chiarelli.

His opposing candidates claimit'sa conflict of interest thatCoun. Eli El-Chantiry, chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board, is overseeing the hiring of anew police chiefwhile also serving as aco-chairofSutcliffe's campaign.

El-Chantiry followed their letter with his own letter to the commission onWednesday disputing their claims.

"There is no conflict of interest, real or perceived, simply because a candidate [Sutcliffe] has stated publicly that they are in agreement with a decision that the Police Services Board unanimously made at its meeting on July 25 to continue the recruitment of the next Chief of Police," El-Chantiry said in the letter.

He said all candidates had the same influence as any other resident on the decisions of the police board and said theinitial letter writers need to understand the board has a statutory obligation to recruit a chief, whilecouncil does not.

"It is unfortunate and contrary to the best interests of the community that the candidates are politicizing an appointment that is not political in the first place," he wrote.

How can Ottawas next mayor rebuild trust in the citys police service?

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Amid the public inquiry into the federal governments use of the Emergencies Act during last winters convoy protest, several Ottawa mayoral candidates weighed in on how to restore trust in the citys police service.

Chiarelli and McKenney called it "common sense" to wait until a new council was in place and until the Emergencies Act inquiry hasheard from police including former police chief Sloly himself as the information would be relevant to the board's decision.

The board will have a significantly different make-up after the election,they argue, and the two say it's important the new chief appointment alignswith the vision of the new council.

However, El-Chantiry saidthe new board likely wouldn't conveneuntil late 2022 or early 2023, which would make hiring a new chief before the spring unlikely.

"It is unacceptable for the police service and it is unacceptable for the community to not have a confirmed permanent Chief for over a year," he wrote.

Public consultation not'poorly attended'

El-Chantiry also responded to concerns in the mayoral candidates' letter about the public consultations heconducted around the hiring of a new chief.

They'd claimed theprocess was "inherently flawed" and that there were "significant process issues that need to be properly investigated."

"The two candidates authoring this letter are intentionally misleading the Commission as well as members of the public," El-Chantiry wrote. "To suggest that the people of Ottawa have not had an opportunity to have their say in the recruitment process is completely false, as is the assertion that the Board's public consultation process was flawed and poorly attended."