WATERLOO REGION POLICE SERVICES BOARD & MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS & CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

Those are the two most guilty and blameworthy bodies for the local mess here in Waterloo Region according to Kelly Donovan in her book "Systemic Misfeasance in Ontario Policing and the Coordinated Suppresion of Whistleblowers". Clearly throughout the rest of Ontario the local Police Service Boards in conjunction with this provincial Ministry are at fault. Basically uninformed, out to pasture former and current local politicians combined with status quo provincial appointees are a huge problem. Do not forget these names: Ken Seiling Regional Chairman, Tom Galloway Regional Councillor & Police Services Board Chair and Karl Kiefer Regional Councillor. Those three are all members of the Police Services Board. Former Regional Councillor Jim Wideman was as well. Our regional council also appoints one of the other members of the Board along with three additional provincial appointees.

My comment on status quo provincial civilian appointees may be by provincial intent or may be by inexperience. If your a new member of the Board you are extremely unlikely to rock the boat until after you've gotten some experience and varied input from more than just the vested interests all around you. The lack of training given these individuals as to the relevant legislation and their duties and responsibilities essentially guarantees that they won't be confronting even obvious problems. It certainly appears that this lack of training is intentional. It's all about power and control and I would suggest from the choice of Chair to the regional council having control over four out of seven appointees; it's clear who are in charge. Again it is this Board who allegedly choose the Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs. This is supposed to be part of the civilian control over our Police Services. What is apparent from both the class action lawsuit and the book by Kelly Donovan, this civilian "control" is a sham. Through knowledge, financial and legal power, manipulation and intimidation, the Waterloo Regional Police Service are and have been in charge of the Police Services Board for a very long time. Apparently with the full knowledge and support of our Regional Council.

Ask yourselves this. When was the last time you saw an announcement in your local newspaper advising you when and where the next PUBLIC meeting of the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board was occurring? Exactly! Here in Woolwich Township, despite the long sham of honest public consultation around the Uniroyal now Lanxess property and environmental degradation; we still have these PUBLIC meetings announced in our local paper. NEVER does our local Police Services Board do so. They and Regional Council prefer out of sight and out of mind in order to avoid informing citizens as to what is and is not going on.