Armoured vehicle more appropriate for an adventure movie than policing: Wyatt

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This article was published 11/01/2016 (3926 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Police Board was a frequent target of Coun. Russ Wyatt Monday morning.

Wyatt (Transcona) called the board’s suspension and investigation of Coun. Ross Eadie a politically motivated witch hunt, and then questioned whether board members are providing proper oversight to the Winnipeg Police Service.

Wyatt said he was concerned that the board was caught by surprise by the police decision to purchase a $343,000 armoured vehicle.

“It concerns me that the oversight that was supposed to be there… may not be in place and the administrative safeguards may not be in place,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt was questioning police board executive director Don Norquay Monday morning at the meeting of the protection, community services and parks committee.

The province created police boards to provide civilian administrative oversight to police agencies across Manitoba, replacing a role traditionally carried out by municipal councils.

Board officials admitted last week that they were unaware the Winnipeg police had decided to purchase the armoured vehicle, which was not part of the approved budget.

The police said the purchase had been authorized by Chief Devon Clunis, who used his authority to reallocate approved budgets.

Norquay told the committee that discussions to reduce the chief’s discretionary spending authority from $500,000 to $100,000 – as a result of the vehicle purchase – are still ongoing.

“The oversight was not there for this piece of equipment, it’s safe to say the oversight is not there on other items as well and that concerns me,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt said he was surprised Norquay was unable to tell the committee the number of full-time equivalent positions for uniformed officers and civilian police employees.

“The fact that the top staff person of the Winnipeg police board doesn’t know how many people he has in his employ causes me great concern.”

Wyatt said he disagreed with the police purchase of the armoured vehicle, explaining that he believes it’s more appropriate for an adventure movie than policing in Winnipeg.

Wyatt said rather than spend funds on a vehicle he described as a “gun ship,” he’d prefer the police hire additional cadets, who have demonstrated their usefulness in a support role to uniformed officers.

 

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca