THUNDER BAY – The chair of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board said the board is committed to working with the Inspectorate of Policing during its upcoming inspection.
Inspector General of Policing, Ryan Teschner, announced on Thursday that he will be conducting an inspection of the Thunder Bay Police Service and Police Services Board, focussing primarily on how it conducts death and missing person investigations.
The Inspectorate of Policing was created last April with a mandate to conduct inspections of police services in the province to ensure compliance with policing laws of Ontario and best practices.
Teschner said he made the decision to launch an inspection after receiving several complaints regarding how the Thunder Bay Police Service conducts death and missing person investigations.
Families of Jenna Ostberg, MacKenzie Moonias, and Corey Belesky, all Indigenous people who have died in the city of Thunder Bay, said during a media conference organized by Nishnawbe Aski Nation last spring that they would be calling on the newly formed Inspectorate of Policing to launch an investigation.
According to Teschner, he can issue binding directions to the police service and board and failure to comply with the directions can result in changes in leadership and even the disbandment of the police service.
“The Thunder Bay Police Service Board understands that it is critical for Indigenous communities and all the diverse communities of Thunder Bay to have confidence in the system that provides oversight of the Thunder Bay Police Service,” said Thunder Bay Police Services Board chair Karen Machado in a statement.
“The Board is fully committed to working collaboratively and transparently with the Inspectorate of Policing during the investigation and welcomes any further advice that will strengthen Thunder Bay’s police oversight system.”
Machado added the police services board recently updated the public on the progress it has made in implementing recommendations from previous investigations into the local police service and will continue to do so.
“The Board remains dedicated to implementing the necessary actions, policies and accountability mechanisms to ensure the diverse communities have the effective, responsive and accountable policing they deserve,” she said.
Thunder Bay Police Service chief Darcy Fleury was not available for comment on the Inspectorate of Policing’s announcement.
