Only one member remains on The Thunder Bay Police Services Board (TBPSB).
Acadia News has confirmed that Chair Kristen Oliver and board members Roydon Pelletier and Michael Power tendered their resignations on the heels of an administrator being appointed earlier in the week.
“I signed up because I love this community, and I believe our police force is a vital part of our city’s future success,” Pelletier told Acadia News in an email Friday. “Being a proud Ojibwa man I can deal with my voting right taken away and essentially being fired, but I won’t sit and watch an appointed official make decisions for our community.”
Pelletier joined the board in March of 2021 and his three year term was set to expire on March 4, 2024.
“I truly enjoyed my time despite the challenges reported by the media,” Power noted in a message to Acadia News. “We made demonstrable progress in a number of areas. It is an important and proud institution. Our officers and our civilians have nothing but my respect and support.”
Georjann Morriseau is on a leave of absence that began at the end of March.
Bill Mauro is the one remaining member of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board (TBPSB)
Meantime, Chair Alok Mukherjee stated that there’s confidence from Mr. Malcolm Mercer about the work of the outside expert panel going forward.
“(Mercer) believes the insights and advice from the Panel will assist him in his role,” Mukherjee added. “I re-state our commitment to meaningful community engagement, to listening carefully and respectfully in developing solutions to the issues and challenges that continue to persist.”
The interim order for the administrator will last for a period of six months, which could be extended if necessary.
The panel includes…
- Alok Mukherjee (former chair, Toronto Police Services Board)
- Kimberly Murray (former executive director, Truth and Reconciliation Commission)
- Mark Baxter (President, Ontario Police Association)
- Keith Forde (Former Deputy Chief, Toronto Police Service)
- Dilnaz Garda of Beyond the Blue (an advocate of mental health for police)
- Laura Kloosterman (retired police officer now with Badge of Life Canada)
- Sandy Smallwood (former vice-chair, Ottawa Police Services Board)
- Paul Cook (former president, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police)
Periodic updates are expected from the Panel, but no timelines were given.
With files from Katie Nicholls and Kevin Jeffrey
