Ottawa police faces leadership shifts ahead of key budget debate

Ottawa's new police Chief Eric Stubbs wasalready preparing for his first budget, but now the force has seen its top administrator retire and it received a new board chair just weeks before the document is presented onethatusually elicits strong debate about how much to spend on policing and where to find savings.

On Jan. 6, chief administrative officerBlair Dunkerretired just one year into taking the job. Her predecessor had beenfired.

At an October meeting, she forecast the police service would be in a "pressure situation" to keep finding efficiencies after struggling to do so in 2022.

She won't be around to deal with the situation and in her placeis former deputy chiefSteve Bell, well known to the public while representing the police during the convoy protest.

• Ottawa's new police chief starts with focus on hiring, recruiting
• Council gives green light to draft budget with 2.5% tax hike cap

Meanwhile, the new chair of the police oversight board, Suzanne Valiquet, is likelytemporary.

She was appointed to the police board last Februaryon a turbulent day of the convoy protest. That was the same day several board members were ousted or resigned.

Valiquetthen replacedformer city councillorEli El-Chantiryas chair after hedid not seek re-election last fall, but she might not be long for the role.

Her term expires when the city appoints a new citizen member. The deadline forapplicationsisJan.23and council should approve allpublic board appointments by early March at the latest, according to city clerk Rick O'Connor.

$54K if civilian chairs board

Council gets to appoint just one civilian to the police oversight body and the mayor hopes whoever is chosen might have the skills to become chair and be better paid for their time.

For many yearsa city councillor has chaired the police board, including El-Chantiry and Diane Deans.

But the new citycouncil acknowledged it's a significantjob that requires significant time, too much for an electedofficial who also has their own committee, council, constituent and ward issues to manage.

The city estimates current police boardmembers spend between 25 and 40 hours a month on board business whilethe chair can spend10 hours per week beyond that.

The police services board has also been in the limelight many times in recent years, especially during the convoy protests and the movement to reduce police funding.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffepromised during the fall election to recruit aqualified and independent community member to serve on the board, and even chair it. New police legislation in Ontario would also setout how board members must represent acity's diverse population.

To attract someone withskills in management, finance, governance and more, city councillast month decided to morethan quadruplethe$12,000 honorariumto$54,000 per year. It pointed out Toronto's police board has long been led by a full-time chair.

Budget based on$15M tax increase

Last winter, former chief Peter Sloly and former board chair Deans were key public facesatbudget deliberations when advocates pushed for a freeze on police spending and a boost to mental health and community programs.

• Redirect Ottawa police budget boost to community, board told

In the end, the board settled on giving the force a smaller increase than it wanted, based on aproperty tax increase of twoper cent, or $13 million.

This year, before any debate has yet begun, the force has been given a similar task. In December city council asked it to craft a budget based on a two to 2.5-per-cent tax increase, or between $13 and $15 million.

As discussions continue about the force's finances, its executive will also see change.

Later this monththe board will discuss how to permanently fill the two deputy chief vacancies ofBelland the position once held by Uday Jaswal, who was suspended in 2020for allegations of sexualharassment.