Surveillance of MLA by police not acceptable behaviour here
By Lethbridge Herald on June 1, 2024.
Editor:
Almost seven years ago, two Lethbridge Police officers, on their own initiative, placed one of our elected MLA’s under surveillance.
Both officers were eventually found guilty of discreditable conduct and violating The Police Act. In addition, one was found guilty of neglect of duty while the other was found guilty of corrupt practice, deceit (basically lying), and insubordination.
Did either of them lose their jobs? Amazingly, no.
Both received temporary demotions which resulted in temporary, small pay cuts – basically a slap on the wrist.
Is this a reasonable disciplinary action for discreditable conduct? For neglect of duty? For corrupt practice? Those are the reasons given for the demotions.
We might expect to see this kind of police behaviour in Haiti or an authoritarian state like Russia.
We sure don’t expect to see, here in Lethbridge, some of our own police putting an elected MLA under surveillance. And then these same officers being “disciplined’ by being given short-term demotions – essentially having to pay a fine of a few thousand dollars.
Leslie Lavers
Lethbridge
11-10
Comparing this situation to Haiti or Russia, is fear mongering. While you have some valid points it is not necessary to attempt to reignite a flame whereby the officers have been disciplined, ASIRT recommended charges, the Crown Council decided against doing just such, and the MLA in question was/is suing the LPS for a large of amount of compensation. So what are we missing here?
Nothing missed! The process was fair and reasonable!
Look at all the vindictive down voters here. Nothing was missed. The MLA has/had the ability to utilize the system and some of the commenters are unsatisfied with the results. I question what they would like their preferred outcome to be. Public stoning, turning the cops into homeless?? A public vilification at Galt Gardens? Some are never satisfied.
Time to put this to bed! It has run through the process, police have made changes, those dedicated officers that serve with honour are trying get the morale in the ranks back after facing all the negative press, and the citizens are going to be on the hook the costs of Phillips civil lawsuit, which will probably see total costs around $4 million.
It was bad, it was investigated, actions were taken and the civil suit continues. Let it go!
In actual fact the Shannon Phillips lawsuit is stated as $400,000, not $4Million. The lawyers for the LPS might be wise to settle out of court saving the LPS and the City excessive legal costs as it appears that ASIRT has determined that these LPS officers did break the law, suggesting Shannon Phillips will win this lawsuit.
Regarding Ms. PHILLIPS legal suit, interesting to read her statement of claim in particular her allegation that “she suffers Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” allegedly due to the LPS operenda. Having disclosed the very setious ailment, why/how can she (PHILLIPS) competently sustain her position as an elected government MLA?
Finally, none of this would have originated has PHILLIPS used her office or a private location for her meeting instead of a public restaurant? (Her office is indeed the proper venue for that type of meeting, after all, we, taxpayers, foot the bill for her office to be used for those purposes).
You display incredible ignorance here Harold. Many, many people manage to function extremely well in their positions despite PTSD, or any other mental health condition. Many are internationally “famously” successful in their careers. Many are award winning individuals in their employment, with personal life achievements… both! Alcoholics are often “self-treating” their own traumas and are considered high-functioning alcoholics by the medical people associated with that condition/illness. There is a good chance you have met, spoken with, and somehow been served by such an individual in the past week, possibly today. You are a viciously small-minded individual, which I find shockingly discouraging given you regular claims of being so affected by your Christian faith. — “What would Jesus do”? comes to my mind. Additionally, I have carried on personal friendships with many people I have been involved with initially through my career/employment. Further, some of my career positions routinely saw me entertaining people to a lunch or coffee meeting and I see this happening repeatedly with other business people in coffee shops and restaurants. In fact Harald… those business meetings, are tax deductible, so even job interviews go down in Tim Horton’s these days! Methinks you lead a quite sheltered and self-righteous life if you believe that Shannon Phillips has to live up to your tunnel-visioned understanding of social and even business customs.
I certainly agree with you, “many function extremely well in their positions dispite PTSD or any other mental health condition” The key word “many” is Ms. PHILLIPS “one of the many”?
You and I do not know, however based on her filed deposition in Court claiming damages due to her affliction of PTSD, is she in fact one of “the many”? One would have to wonder as to her continual absense(s), her “crickets response” to constituent e-mails, telephone calls and attempts to arrange meetings…. her office dumping hundreds if constituent letters addressed to her at the Lethbridge East MLA’s office, her absence from public appearances when Lethbridge East MLA, Lethbridge County Reeve, Lethbridge Mayor and Lethbridge MP eagerly (based on their busy schedules) attend. Ms. PHILLIPS , has not hosted one “Town Hall” meeting with her constituents…… PTSD????? Ummm maybe.
Further, Ms. PHILLIPS, as an elected official has taken “Oath of Office” and signed disclosures of secrecy and confidentiality. Would it not be a serious breach of office and her position to openly discuss such matters as she was in a public restaurant, where, apparentky, according to record, even maps were reviewed in that public realm???
I think discussing plans for any sort of environmental or parks planning as Phillips would have been doing back in those days with highly regarded experts on the topics would be a POSITIVE not a dangerous secretive conspiracy. Moreover being willing to be seen publicly with experts in their field speaks well of the fact that she wasn’t trying to hide anything. The UCP government on the other hand has created too many committees with nary an expert in the field for the topic at hand appointed, and also done everything possible to block providing information to many requests regarding this or that study as an example. If anyone deserves the critique you project towards Phillips it is absolutely this UCP government.
Maps were reviewed? Give me a break, I could download those “maps” from the government website in 2 minutes. Has any member of the UCP raised any of the ridiculous facts you raise here? The officers broke the law and the police act. LERB said so and ASIRT said so. The fact that the crown prosecutor decided not to press charges without explanation speaks volumes. Would they do the same for a regular Joe? hmmm
Coincidentally, just this morning I posed a query, with a critical comment, to Phillips office despite the fact that she does not represent my riding. I received a response personalized to my specific topics faster than I have ever received from any other elected political person in my long life. I write letters regularly to all levels of government as my ancestors died and fought and suffered in wars fighting for my rights to be able to do that; I hold those rights to be sacred to me. Pierre Poilievre has never responded to multiple letters. Trudeau’s PMO rarely and most often with what I called prefabbed responses. Nathan Neudorf never. I cannot be bothered to write Thomas… she is always at some social event where she can pose for yet another press image. She relies upon misinformation for her political communications, therefore I have zero respect for her; I expect much greater integrity from any representative being paid by my tax dollars to behave with integrity. As for Phillips “no shows”: I am impressed with how much research and effort Shannon Phillips has diligently put into her responsibilities; whatever her current role might be. I have no doubt that Phillips will be subject to anxiety attacks in large gatherings as a result of the affects that the many threats she has received over the years as well as the blatant spying of these law officers on her private life. I am able to empathize with any discomfort she does feel in such gatherings and how she might want to be highly selective of the events she attends. But I would be just as willing to believe that she prefers to actually stay busy fulfilling research and consultations to act as best as she can on behalf of her local constituents and all Albertans. If people are sending Phillips letters that she perhaps feels that Neudorf should also read… I’d suggest it is because Neudoorf isn’t doing his job…that he is not representing ALL his constituents, and ALL Albertans, who are his employers. These people are recognizing that Phillips and the NDP DO LISTEN, they do have a voice with some politicians — sounds about right for me given all the frustration I hear from folks that the UCP totally ignore public input, and absolutely my perspective about these undemocratic individuals.
So you state that MS. PHILLIPS in your opinion suffers, “anxiety attacks in large gatherings” like in the Legislature during session(s)? You proved the point ReallyReally, “mental incompetence to fullfill her duties as an elected official”. Mental illness (PTSD) is nothing to be taken lightly, and I/we do empathize for MS. PHILLIPS, as well as others who suffer this affliction. We can only believe that she/they will receive the proper care/drugs/therapy to recover and/or become mentally functionable……but for now, perhaps MS. PHILLIPS would/should not be in office, rather receiving mental heath care, agreed?
Wrong Harold… I definitely did not prove your point. PTSD affected individuals do very well in situations that are familiar enough that they can adjust their anxiety responses to the atmosphere; more or less the idea of know your demons at work here. As for Phillips receiving care for her PTSD… I am more than certain that she has attended to that idea already, and once again, I reiterate that MILLIONS of PTSD sufferers are able to carry on highly efficient careers. I have no idea why Phillips might choose to not attend each and every free lunch she is invited to, but her personal life and decisions are NOT my affair, and she has proven to be a more than competent MLA and representative of her constituents and ALL Albertans. I applaud Shannon Phillips for her achievements.
you are sending harold to school, but it is likely he will remain a fail
No “schooling” required, information on PTSD is readily available and so is prognosis, treatment and rehab.
again, thank you for another rich sharing
solid, impressive – as ever are your entries.
I just want to be clear about what you suggest in your second paragraph. Do you really hold MLA Phillips responsible for the behaviour of the two LPS members because she didn’t hold the meeting behind the closed doors of her constituency office?
Two wrongs do not make a right my friend. NOT condoning the action(s) of the police officers however it appears to have been bad judgment, and the officers were duly diciplined.
Definitely a matter of cause and effect gone bad.
So you are in fact assigning to MLA Phillips some responsibility for the behaviour of the two officers. That’s ridiculous.
Like I said ” cause and effect”. One bad decion led to another in this instance.
The replies Harold offers are sounding a tad akin to a defence attorney arguments that a woman was wearing a short skirt so she deserved to be raped. Yikes !!!
the more i read you, the more ridiculous you appear. two wrongs? other than two cops doing wrong, there are no “two wrongs.” ms phillips did nothing wrong.
Harold, by saying that Ms Phillips owns some of the blame here, I can only conclude that you are swimming in the same misogynistic cesspool as those who say that a woman who wears a short skirt out clubbing or goes home with a man after closing and is raped, is partly responsible for her sexual assault.
Good imagination Mrs Kidd (she/her), but sorefully wrong intrepratation!
Phillips is not squeaky clean here either. Holding a secretive meeting in a remote place with future stakeholders to secretly talk about Castle redevelopment is government business, is not appropriate, and should have been done officially in a government meeting at an acceptable public meeting facility, open to the public. What was she trying to hide?
I am no fan of any group enjoying differential access to public officials, although I know it happens all the time, across the political spectrum.
But, in what universe is a meeting held in a public space considered an incognito meeting? Might be time to dust off the old Oxford Concise.
“What is wrong with Alberta’s crown prosecution office?”
http://www.theprogressreport.ca/progress_report_341
Also the “Alberta Police Misconduct Database,” is interesting.
http://www.policemisconductdatabase.ca/database/
Here, the Phillips incident and all involved can be found in the Lethbridge Police Service section.
A young relative who became involved as a law enforcement member long before this incident informed me that it was illegal/unethical for him to access these data bases for anything other than an official ongoing legal case. Partisan bias aside then, these officers corruptly spied on a citizen. Historically this is not the first time nor will it be the last time that law enforcement individuals break the law maliciously or ineptly. More than a few of us can relate to the indignation that Shannon Phillips and others targeted in these incidents feel.
the outcome is acceptable only to those that appreciate a police state whenever such a state upholds their preferences. a problem, of course, exists when such police state actions, here seen as quite acceptable to a particular type, will extend to enforce things that do not suit preferences but which also cross the line of decency and freedom and rights.
as for asirt, they have demonstrated enough they exist so as to be a means of deflection and whitewashing.
one may not like ms phillips personally, nor her politics, but how has that anything to do with the broader importance of upholding a free state. the cops in question crossed that line, and they are discredit to the uniform. they should have been axed. instead, the part of the public that can see through this farce of an outcome is not only ever more the cynical, the entire lethbridge force takes yet another hit in terms of public respect. if i were a cop, i would not want either of those goons in the ranks. i sure do not want either of them on our police force.