Wyatt likens Eadie’s suspension from police board to ‘witch hunt’

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

Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt says fellow council member Ross Eadie’s suspension from the police board pending an investigation into his ethical conduct is a politically motivated witch hunt.

Wyatt said Eadie (Mynarksi) was never charged as a result of being placed in the local drunk tank in early November and there is no evidence he did anything wrong.

“I believe this is a bit of a witch hunt. I don’t know what the end game is here,” Wyatt said Monday morning. “It seems like they’ve been dragging this out for some time now…

“I think it’s partly politics. Eadie is not a Conservative of any stripe or means. The chairman of the (police) board (Coun. Scott Gillingham) is a Conservative. The mayor is a Conservative. (Police board executive director Don) Norquay is a Conservative. ’You’ve got him (Eadie) in the crosshairs, why don’t you see if you can pull the trigger,’ maybe that’s what this is about.”

Police board vice chairman Barry Tuckett confirmed last week that Eadie has been suspended pending an investigation to determine whether Eadie breached any of the provisions of the Manitoba Police Board Code of Ethical Conduct.

Eadie admitted he and a friend had been drinking heavily the night of Nov. 6 and into the early hours of Nov. 7 at several different downtown locations. The friend placed Eadie in a cab where he passed out.

When the cabbie was unable to wake him, police were called and they took him to the Main Street Project to sleep it off. He left on his own later in the morning.

Eadie said he couldn’t remember what he did or said that night but a source told the Free Press Eadie had been verbally abusive to the police.

A media report last week stated the police board investigation was triggered by the police union, who complained they didn’t feel Eadie could be impartial.

Tuckett said the investigation was launched as a result of public concerns over Eadie’s behaviour, that it has been ongoing since mid-November and he expects a resolution before the board’s February meeting.

Eadie said he doesn’t believe the police union’s concerns are valid, adding the role of the police board is administrative oversight, and that no board member has any involvement in day-to-day police operations.

Eadie said board investigations to determine breaches of the code of conduct are appropriate, “if someone was intentionally acting unethical… but it doesn’t have to go on week after week after week. If there is no proof I was treated any different than anyone else, why does it continue?”

Norquay had appeared before the protection, community services and parks committee Monday morning, to present an update on the police board’s 2016 strategic plan.

Wyatt, a member of the committee, tried to question Norquay about the board’s decision to suspend Eadie – who is also a member of the committee – but chairman Coun. Mike Pagtakhan wouldn’t allow the questions.

Eadie said he has relied on Wyatt and some other members of council for support since he learned he was being suspended from the board, adding he insists he did nothing wrong.

“Coun. Wyatt is expressing my frustrations,” Eadie said, adding he doesn’t understand why he’s been subject to an investigation.

“The whole process that has been initiated (by the police board) is ridiculous,” Eadie said.

 

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca