Missed Meetings Not A Big Deal Police Commission Vice - Chair Says

By Robert Thomas

After two months the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners held their regular monthly meeting on Thursday afternoon but missing a monthly meeting is no great issue of concern says the Commissions vice-chair.

Asked by MJ Independent during the media scrum if there were concerns about missing a meeting vice chair Commissioner Doug Blanc said there wasn’t.

“It was a series of events that happened there was other stuff taking place. People are certainly entitled to vacation and that left our current chair away which is understandable. We knew that was going to happen. There was some illness but I think we’re all back now and I think it was just the circumstances of events that we missed a couple of meetings,” Commissioner Blanc said.

Under Bylaw 5599 - The Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners - in order to have quorum there must be three members present with at least one member of Council additionally at least one member at large needs to be present to have quorum.

The Commission is made up of five members - three members from Council and two members from the community.

The Moose Jaw Board Of Police Commissioners at their inaugural meeting in January 2023 - MJ Independent photo

Which means if only the three members of Council are available for a meeting there is no quorum.

Asked about Commission chair Mary Lee Booth not in attendance at Thursday’s meeting and this would make it two missed meetings by her Commissioner Blanc disagreed.

“Well I believe Commissioner Booth will be back at the next meeting. My understanding she hasn’t really missed a meeting because the one she couldn’t attend was cancelled because there was lack of quorum. So I guess we all missed that one if you go by lack of quorum,” he said.

“It is only one meeting that she’s missed which is today.”

Asked if the Commission would function under the same provisions of committees of Council - where after missing three consecutive meetings a member could be removed, Commissioner Blanc said he thought they did.

“I believe we would probably use the same but she will be back the next one then I don’t think it’s a concern,” he said.

Under Bylaw 5599 - The Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners Bylaw - Council has the ability to appoint a replacement during the time a member at large Commissioner is ill or unable to perform their duties.

Under the Saskatchewan Police Act communities with municipal police forces must have a Police Commission. The reason is to prevent political interference with the police. The Board of Poluce Commissioners are the police’s employer and not the municipality.

The Police Commission provides civil governance acting like a board of directors. The Commission is statutory under the Saskatchewan Police Act 1990.

The non-attendance by a Commissioner had an impact during the present Commission’s January inaugural meeting when it came to elect Commission chair Mary Lee Booth.