After Monday\u0027s election, the board will have, at least, a new chair
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The Ottawa Police Services Board is responsible for hiring the chief, but what are its other responsibilities, and who sits on it? How will it be different after Monday’s election?Under provincial law, the board must consist of an equal number of members appointed from the local municipal council and the province, as well as one community member selected by council. In Ottawa, the board consists of seven members: three provincial appointees, three council members and one council appointee.
The current provincial appointees are Salim Fakirani, a former lawyer with the Canadian Human Rights Commission; Peter Henschel, a retired RCMP Deputy Commissioner; and Michael Doucet, former chief technology officer and then chief information officer for the RCMP.Article content The provincial members were recently appointed to a three-year term on the board and will remain in place after the election, regardless of the results.The city councillors currently serving on the board are Eli El-Chantiry, who chairs the board and occupies the seat reserved for the mayor if the mayor wishes to sit on the board, plus Cathy Curry and Jeff Leiper.After Monday’s election, when the new council forms on Nov. 15, the board will have, at least, a new chair.
In its first weeks and months, the board’s responsibilities will include recruiting a deputy chief, reviewing and approving the 2023 police budget and developing a new strategic plan for the police service.Article contentIn Ontario, these boards oversee local policing, whether the community is home to its own police force, has a joint police force with other municipalities or contracts out local policing to the Ontario Provincial Police.