Mayor stays mum about his confidence in police chief, board

Mayor Jim Watson didn’t answer questions on Thursday regarding his confidence in the police board or chief of police after the Citizen reported revealing emails about the decision to appoint a senior officer to a temporary executive position while the officer is under OPP investigation.

Emails between police board members suggest some of them didn’t know Supt. Chris Rheaume is one of three senior police officials under criminal investigation when they accepted his temporary promotion to deputy chief in July under the advice of Chief Charles Bordeleau. Rheaume acted as a deputy chief from July 22 to Aug. 13.

In one email, Coun. Allan Hubley said he was not aware Rheaume could face criminal charges when the board had talks about the promotion.

“The point is that there remains a potential for criminal charges which I for one understood had not existed when we discussed the promotion. Of course everyone is assumed to be innocent … but does that assumption also include the privilege of being promoted is the question I am left with now. In the end this comes down to judgment skills on the chief’s part and that will be for the board to keep in mind going forward.”

The OPP probe is related to legal disclosure in the case involving a tactical training explosion in Kanata that injured two officers and three paramedics in the summer of 2014.

Police board chair Eli El-Chantiry told the Citizen this week that the board “does not have the authority to direct day-to-day operational decisions” but “did ask the chief about this decision to promote.”

Said El-Chantiry: “With respect to the investigation, the board was advised it was an investigation into an internal complaint into allegations of a possible criminal nature and/or conduct under the Police Services Act.”

Watson’s office was asked about the mayor’s current level of confidence in the police chief and police services board. Instead of answering, the Citizen was invited to ask El-Chantiry, the chair of the board.

Meanwhile, police board members are exposing skepticism over the political influence of the oversight body.

This week, the policy and governance committee of the police board received a report on a performance review of the board, based on a questionnaire distributed to members. Six out of seven board members responded.

At least one of the comments made anonymously said city councillors play too big a role on the board. Another comment said the position of board chair shouldn’t be held by a councillor.

Three of the seven positions on the police board are held by councillors.