The chair of Ottawa police services board hired a new police chief without going through a competition, sources told CTV News Ottawa.
Coun. Diane Deans went to the board to fire previous police chief Peter Sloly, sources said. After that, she and the board tried to hire a new interim chief from southern Ontario without a competition, sources told CTV News Ottawa.
The board moved to hire former Waterloo police chief Matthew Torigian, sources said.
Torigian is a fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.
He served 29 years with the Waterloo Police Service, including seven as chief from 2007 to 2014. He then joined the Ontario public service.
No council member was told of the sole-sourced hiring, sources told CTV News.
Mayor Jim Watson offered Deans the chance to resign when he learned of the plan, but she refused, sources said. As a result, Watson is leading an effort to oust her from the board.
Four of the Ottawa police services board's seven members are appointed by city council. Council can vote to remove them.
The move comes in the midst of the unprecedented occupation of downtown Ottawa that has reached its 20th day.
Sources also said Deans paid out the remainder of Sloly’s contract in full as part of his departure. Sloly’s annual salary in 2021 was nearly $360,000. His contract was due to expire in 2024.
On Wednesday morning, Deans told CTV Morning Live that the board was working to find Sloly's replacement.
"We're working now to find a semi-permanent replacement for Chief Sloly, and we should be announcing that very soon," she said, adding that the hire would likely be a shorter-term contract given the municipal election in the fall.
"We're looking at a contract that may be just a couple of months to maybe the end of the year so the new police board can make a decision about the new chief."
One member of the Ottawa police services board has resigned from the board.
City Council citizen appointee Sandy Smallwood confirmed to CTV News Ottawa he has resigned as a member. Smallwood said recent comments by Coun. Eli El-Chantiry in an article that questioned the actions of the board prompted him to resign.
"As a former chair, his opinions are of concern to me," Smallwood said in an email.
Council is holding a special meeting this afternoon. You can watch it live now on this page.
MOTION RECOMMENDS REPLACING DEANS ON BOARD
Coun. Scott Moffatt moved a motion during a special council meeting to remove Deans and Carol Anne Meehan as council appointees on the Ottawa Police Services Board.
"I feel the public has lost confidence in the actions of the police services board and the ability to lead," Moffatt said when asked why he tabled the motion.
The motion would see Coun. Eli El-Chantiry replace Deans, while Coun. Jan Harder would take over Meehan's place on the board.
Under the motion, Coun. Rawlson King would remain on the Ottawa Police Services Board. However, King resigned as a member of the board shortly after Council emerged from an in-camera meeting.
Suzanne Valiquet would replace Smallwood as the council appointee to the Ottawa Police Services Board.
The motion notes Council expects the hiring of a new police chief "will be done following meaningful and constructive consultation with the community, and in particular, with marginalized communities who have been over-policed."
According to the Police Services Act, the board is responsible for the recruitment and appointment of the chief of police and any deputy chief, "and annually determine their remuneration and working conditions.
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