Police chief Devon Clunis announces retirement

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This article was published 10/03/2016 (3663 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Police Service chief Devon Clunis says his retirement announcement was not sparked by the possibility of officer layoffs but because he has accomplished his goals after 29 years with the police service and three and a half years as chief.

Clunis, accompanied by his wife Pearlene, said he leaves satisfied his main goal has been accomplished: tying policing to the knowledge crime has social roots.

“My purpose has been fulfilled,” he told a room filled with reporters on Thursday.

“It is time for me to pursue new goals with the continuing purpose of impacting people in very positive ways.”

Clunis, the city’s 17th police chief, said his retirement less than four years after he was appointed chief just means that his goals are complete.

“My strongest desire is to spend more time with my lovely wife.”

As for whether the budget had anything to do with his decision, he said “absolutely not.

“I have been contemplating retirement for more than a year.”

Mayor Brian Bowman admitted Clunis’ decision “came as a surprise.

“I have complete respect for what you have decided,” Bowman said.

“You are a leader – a leader who cares deeply about our city… You are leaving a police force stronger and better than when you started.”

As far as any question about the police budget, Bowman said the proposed budget has a 6.32 per cent increase for police, so it is up to the police board and executive how it will be divvied up and spent.

“That is an increase and not a cut,” the mayor said.

During his 29-year career with the police service, Clunis worked as a patrol officer, in the traffic division, as a plainclothes investigator, in community relations, the duty office, as the police chaplain and in other administrative roles before officially becoming chief in November 2012.

George Van Mackelbergh, vice president of the Winnipeg Police Association, called Clunis’ retirement “a shame.

“I’m sure Devon will be a gentleman, but here you have a chief very committed to the community.”

Van Mackelbergh said he doesn’t understand how the city could even consider the deep layoffs of officers and disbanding of the cadet program.

“Yes, only 20 per cent of of calls are for crime, but the other 80 per cent have to be checked,” he said. “And who knows how many were deescalated before something happened.”

Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) told the Free Press on Thursday he believed Clunis decided to retire because the WPS is facing a $2.45 million budget shortfall and if that money isn’t found before the city’s budget is passed March 22, the police will have no alternative except to place 80 newly hired officers out of work.

Eadie said Mayor Bowman and his EPC ordered a $3.5 million reduction in the police budget. The police board, working with Clunis, found $1.05 million, Eadie said, but that still leaves the police budget $2.45 million short.

“There is nowhere else to find any more money to get to the city’s (target). That’s 80 officers gone if we don’t get that (budget) restored,” Eadie said.

“The chief will not be able to realize his goals. I think he’s frustrated and he’s decided to retire, that’s what I think,” he said.

Eadie said Clunis’ efforts would have eventually warranted a reduction in the number of officers, but while that’s still in the future there is political direction to reduce the complement now.

Eadie said the officer layoff will trigger an automatic one-for-one reduction in the number of cadets. With only about 45 cadets on the WPS, that will mean the end of the cadet program.

Eadie said the police service has delayed replacing retiring officers but said financial savings from that move has been directed towards vacancy management — a civic-wide directive to find almost $21 million in savings this year across all departments.

Eadie said the Winnipeg Police Association has to take some responsibility for the financial bind the police service is in and the looming layoffs. Other civic unions have taken wage freezes and increases less than inflation, Eadie said, adding the police union has recognize it must lower its financial expectations at bargaining.

Eadie said he’s going to propose amending the preliminary budget with a further property tax increase of 0.48,on top of the 2.33 per cent unveiled last week, to raise the additional $2.45 million needed to avoid officer layoffs.

During Thursday’s news conference, police board chairman Coun. Scott Gillingham described Eadie’s comments as “inaccurate, inappropriate and reckless.” However, Gillingham would not elaborate on what was inaccurate nor would he comment on the possibility of layoffs within the WPS.

“Today is about Chief Clunis’ retirement,” Gillingham said. “We’ll deal with the (police) budget on Friday.”

Clunis has been acclaimed for drawing attention to the socio-economic issues facing Winnipeg and acknowledging policing alone can’t reduce crime.

He was also chief when whistleblowers came forward with allegations of fraud and forgery related to the police headquarters — allegations later investigated by the RCMP.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca, bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca, aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca