The West Nipissing Police Services Board is disappointed with a judge’s ruling to dismiss the board’s request for a judicial review to examine the process town council used to replace the municipal police with the OPP.
However, Barry Bertrand, the chair of the police board, is also “very concerned” with the news release the municipality released announcing the judge’s verdict saying it contains misinformation.
Following the regular meeting of the police board, the board issued its own release where it claims the matter is not over yet despite what the municipality states in its release.
Bertrand says the municipality’s release implies that the court action is over and that the transition to the OPP can begin.
But Bertrand says in fact there’s a 30 day period from the time the judge’s ruling came down on November 14th where all matters related to the OPP costing are suspended.
Bertrand says the 30 days gives the board time to decide whether it will appeal the judge’s ruling.
Bertrand is also concerned about the timing of the municipality’s release.
He says the timing didn’t give the board enough “time to inform its employees of the situation”.
“The media is not the right way for employees to hear about the judgement”, Bertrand said.
Bertrand adds it’s the board’s belief that CAO Jay Barbeau’s “hastiness in delivering the message” in the way that he did “demonstrated a lack of professionalism (and) he should know better.”