Community Safety SPC hears police commission report

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on July 27, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The Community Safety Standing Policy Committee of city council recently heard from chair Dawna Coslovi on the 2022 Lethbridge Police Commission report.

The Community Safety SPC consists of council members chair Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, vice-chair Mark Campbell, Acting Mayor Ryan Parker and Nick Paladino.

The report was part of the consent agenda passed by city council Tuesday.

In her report to the SPC, Coslovi said the commission last year completed several governance initiatives. With Lethbridge Police Service, it staged a Town Hall meeting to hear concerns and interests of residents and it created the 2022-25 LPC strategic plan.

This plan will guide the commission in its focus on community safety. The commission consists of a diverse group of people including two city councillors and seven community members appointed by council based on their skills.

Last year, the commission began a policy review and improved practices to maintain compliance with Alberta Policing Oversight standards, says Coslovi’s report. It also provided feedback to LPS chief Shahin Mehdizadeh through performance evaluation.

It also built capacity in the police force by advocating for, and receiving, an increase in the LPS budget for staff.

Commission initiatives last year included creating a standalone High Risk Offenders unit to monitor and manage the presence of high-risk offenders in Lethbridge and a dedicated operational intelligence unit to provide real-time support for investigators.

In 2022, the LPC heard six complaints from the public, down from 13 in 2021. The commission, says the report, tracks and monitors complaints from their receipt to conclusion.

It approves any decision by the LPS Chief to suspend officers and approves decisions to extend probationary periods of officers. It also approves extensions when complaints aren’t resolved within legislated timelines.

The LPC also:

• Decides if a complaint can be dismissed as frivolous, vexatious, or made in bad faith.

• Addresses complaints about the conduct of the Chief.

• Hears appeals of the outcomes of complaints about police policies or services provided.

• Ensures complaint statistics are publicly reported.

Her report also contained a financial overview of the LPS. Of that budget of $47,333,688, 82 per cent or $38,941,176 is funded through taxation.

This year the commission plans include ensuring the LPS is compliant with all legislation be it municipal, provincial or federal and ensuring policies are in place that will provide for policing that is efficient and effective.

It will e helping the LPS in its plan to increase civilian staff numbers by 15 and add 10-12 new officers.

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