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Chair resigns from police board

BY Laurie Watt, STAFF February 09, 2010 06:02

BARRIE - The Barrie Police Services Board chairperson is resigning effective today.

Rick Jones – a civilian appointed by the City of Barrie – gave his notice Monday.

“I just can’t swim against the current. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong, but the politics are too intense,” said the managing partner of a local planning firm.

The politics Jones may be referring to involve a heated Jan. 26 debate concerning a personnel issue and resulting in a deadlock, during the police board’s meeting.

Police chief Wayne Frechette considered the board’s deadlock a lack of confidence and he threatened to resign.

The Advance reported on the situation and the chief’s threat on Feb. 4. An ad for a police chief, with the city police logo, appeared in The Globe and Mail’s career section Saturday, Feb. 6.

Full of grammatical errors and lacking in citing legislative authority, the ad has raised concerns about its origin – who wrote it has not been confirmed.

The City of Barrie did not review or authorize the ad – which directs candidates to send resumes by regular mail only to City Hall. Two police board members – Coun. Jerry Moore and Doug Jure – say they were also caught by surprise Saturday when the ad appeared.

Jones told The Advance Monday that the board did authorize an ad last year but hasn’t worked on it since.

“I didn’t write it. I haven’t even seen it, frankly,” he added. “I’ve tried to do my best, but down to four members, the political current just became too strong. I’m glad to be out of this hornets nest.”

Dysfunctional politics have seized the police board several times since the board was struck in December 2006. Early in its term, the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services investigated and charged Mayor Dave Aspden for breaking the Police Services Act’s code of conduct, when he wrote a letter to a disciplinary hearing chairman to go easy on a disgraced officer.

The Act is clear in defining police boards are restricted to setting policy, providing leadership and establishing a budget. The police chief, by contrast, manages the force and deals with personnel issues, including hiring, assignments and firing.

The board is down to four members at the present time because Don MacNeil faces domestic assault charges and an OCCPS’ investigation. While the board has been dealing with internal stresses, it is also facing tough decisions such as how to accommodate a growing force and the process of selecting a new chief. (Frechette retires Sept. 1, 2010.)

Jones added he’s been accused of defending Aspden and voting with the mayor, resulting in deadlock after deadlock.

“The ad is the least of it,” Jones said. “It’s a tempest in a teapot that seems to be a lightning rod.”
When asked by The Advance if they had placed the ad in The Globe, three of the four police board members – Coun. Jerry Moore, Jones, and Doug Jure – said they did not. Aspden, however, did not deny or confirm his involvement.

Instead, he would only say Jones is responsible.

“He’s the chair of the board,” the mayor said, adding he had not officially heard about Jones’ resignation. “Right now, he’s the chair of the board and speaks for the board.”

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