Police board seeks legal advice in search for new chief

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This article was published 20/01/2025 (271 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Police Board has sought external legal advice in its protracted search for the city’s next police chief.

Coun. Markus Chambers, who chairs the police board, stopped short of saying it’s back to the drawing board in the endeavour to replace Danny Smyth, who retired in early September.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Chambers said Monday, after the board voted in favour of the 2025 preliminary police budget. “We’re doing everything that we can now to make sure we’re doing this in a proper way.”

He said the board wants to ensure a proper vetting process.

“Included in our due diligence, we’ve gone out and sought independent legal advice and we’re making sure that we’re acting in accordance to the policies and procedures that are set.”

The board thought it best to seek advice from a private law firm and not the city’s in-house legal team.

“We wanted independent advice so that there is no appearance of bias,” he said.

The councillor gave no indication when the successor will be named.

“We wanted independent advice so that there is no appearance of bias.”–Coun. Markus Chambers

On Dec. 17, the Free Press reported the announcement was on hold because of questions about deputy chief Gene Bowers, who, sources said, had been recommended for chief by the board.

Concerns about the veteran officer were emailed to members of the police board, a source said.

No one has confirmed Bowers was the chosen candidate.

Art Stannard has been acting chief since the departure of Smyth, who announced in December 2023 that he planned to retire.

Chambers said Monday the search had gone smoothly until last year’s final public meeting, when new information came forward.

“I’ll take full responsibility,” Chambers said, acknowledging his error on Dec. 6 when he announced a decision had been made and the announcement was a week or so away.

“I can’t take responsibility for all of the information that’s come in subsequently.”

Bowers, who joined the police service in 1989, has held a low profile as deputy chief. He has worked in several sections, including specialized investigations, where he implemented the counter-exploitation unit, his online biography reads.

He was front and centre late last year when he spoke at a news conference regarding three officers who’d been charged following an internal investigation into breach of trust allegations.

Chambers said the board doesn’t want to embarrass the individual, or themselves, by failing to vet the latest information.

“We understand what this means for the Winnipeg Police Service,” Chambers said. “We want to take our time and do it right, do it diligently, make sure we leave no stone uncovered to make that right decision.”

Asked if the need to bring in external legal counsel might be a sign the police board should look for a different candidate, Chambers said that wouldn’t be fair to the candidates who applied.

“We want to make sure, again, that we’re doing this in the fairest possible way,” he said.

The Winnipeg Police Association did not respond to a request for comment.

Meantime, the next chief will need to find $5 million in savings, as per the city’s 2025 budget.

The police operating expenditures are projected to rise to $352 million this year, which is $20 million higher than 2024. The service will grow by 36 general patrol officers over the next two years if city council approves the 2025 preliminary budget on Jan. 29.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca