Police commission mum on response to Sudbury request

The Ontario Civilian Police Commission isn't saying much about its response to a request for advice from the Greater Sudbury Police Services Board.

Feb. 26, the board decided to ask the commission for direction after several members of the public expressed concern about chair Gerry Lougheed Jr., who is part of an investigation related to the Sudbury byelection scandal.

Members voted Feb. 11 to keep Lougheed as chair until the outcome of an OPP investigation into the scandal is complete, but decided to seek the commission’s advice after an Elections Ontario ruling that Lougheed and Liberal party campaign director Pat Sorbara may have broken Ontario's Elections Act.

“The board also contemplated the provisions of the Police Services Act which bear upon this matter as it relates to the roles and responsibilities of the board and its obligations for ensuring adequate and effective police services,” the board said in a statement.

But in an email, Commission spokesperson Ani Asik said they couldn't comment on how they are responding to the request from Sudbury.

“Due to confidentiality provisions in the Police Services Act, the commission cannot provide additional information with respect to the matters you raise,” Asik wrote, while offering a link to their website that details “general information about our processes.”

She did say, however, that board members can only be found guilty of misconduct following a public hearing under the Police Services Act
“Commission decisions in previous hearings about alleged misconduct by members of police services boards can be accessed on the Commission’s website by under “Decision Information” where we list all of our decisions by year and section of the Act,” she wrote.

“All Commission hearings are public processes and the decisions from those proceedings, too, are public.”