Police board zigzags on new hirings

Councillor says adding a civilian CAO will create a ‘healthy tension’

Well, that was an unexpected zigzag by Hamilton’s police services board.

After flirting with the idea of recruiting a civilian administrator instead of a sworn officer to fill a vacant deputy chief position, the board opted to hire both.

Board members obviously loved the idea of enlisting a civilian CAO to keep a sharper eye on police budgets, but not at the expense of reducing the traditional complement of two deputy chiefs to one.

According to board chair Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, the board unanimously voted to go in both directions because they think the service is too big for one deputy to handle alone.

The force has about 1,200 sworn and civilian members and an operating budget of $157 million.

Both the CAO and deputy will report directly to chief Eric Girt, who now has to get cracking on putting together a new organization chart to accommodate the change in direction.

Presumably chopping an existing position in order for the CAO to be hired is at the top of Girt’s to-do list.

“It will be the elimination of a superintendent position, which will probably be around the same salary as the CAO and so it should be zero impact on the budget,” said Ferguson.

“I don’t want to say the position yet because it involves an individual whose career will be affected.”

The board has given Girt until Sept. 8 to come up with the new organization chart. Meanwhile, Ferguson and fellow board members Madeleine Levy and Don MacVicar have done a “first cut” of what it might look like.

“The chief is 100 per cent on side with where the board is going on this,” said Ferguson. “He understands why we’re going there. He saw our first cut of the reorganization and how people will report. But clearly he’s got to have his input because they’ll all ultimately report to him.”

As it stands now, deputy chief Dan Kinsella is responsible for investigations and community policing.

The other deputy position is vacant because of the unexpected departure of Ken Weatherill in May. Weatherill was in charge of field support, which includes finance, administration and corporate services such as communitarians, human resources and professional development.

Under the new layout, Ferguson says the CAO will be in charge of most of the 300 or so civilian members of the service and will likely oversee finance, human resources, information technology and other things. That means there will be some reallocation of responsibilities from the deputy chief portfolios.

The board has already approved hiring a recruitment firm to find candidates. Ferguson hopes job interviews will begin in late August or early September.

For his part, board member Coun. Terry Whitehead has some concerns about the lack of details around remuneration and job responsibilities for the CAO, but he likes the idea in principle.

“I think having a civilian looking over the finances is … a strong piece. It gives another lens or perspective which, I think, is sadly lacking when budgets come forward.

“It’s separate from the (police) culture, which I think creates a healthy tension which gives the potential to provide better results.”

Besides sharing the workload, Ferguson says succession planning was a key reason for sticking with two deputies. A single deputy would have reduced the possibility of promoting internally when it’s time to hire the next chief.

“We wanted to be able to have a succession plan where you can have two who are ready to possibly become chiefs.”

Girt still has four years left on his five-year contract, but evidently the board doesn’t want to be caught flatfooted if he decides to retire rather than seek another term.

The chief is 100 per cent on side with where the board is going on this. COUN. LLOYD FERGUSON POLICE SERVICES BOARD CHAIR