THUNDER BAY — A Thunder Bay Police Services Board that is just finding its feet after months of turmoil is in for one more change.
Coun. Shelby Ch’ng, who joined the board in May 2022, resigned from the role effective Monday, calling that a personal decision after opting to pursue a new educational opportunity.
“I was on the police board for the remainder of the previous term,” she said. “There wasn’t much uptake at the beginning of this council for another member to take it on, so I took it on again.”
“I did apply to go back to school to get my master’s, I was accepted, and I unfortunately just ran out of time.”
City council voted to appoint Coun. Kasey Etreni to the spot vacated by Ch’ng on Monday.
Etreni said she was eager to bring experience relating to occupational health and safety and policy gained through her heatlth care career to bear on city policing.
“I think, much like city council, I can bring some diversity to the table," she said. "I also have the experience in policies and procedures of my past employment. Then, the reconciliation piece really interests me.”
Asked her opinion on the current state of the relationship between the police service and the Indigenous community, after reviews that found systemic racism and botched investigations involving Indigenous victims, Etreni said she's hesitant to comment before gaining experience in the role.
“In my opinion, the police services board and the police association are doing excellent work in that area," she said. "I don’t foresee anything alarming by any means. I think they just need to continue to move forward with those recommendations to make those changes that are much-needed.”
Etreni joins fellow city appointees Mayor Ken Boshcoff and citizen Denise Baxter, as well as provincial appointee Karen Machado. Another provincial seat remains vacant.
Ch’ng said she will be able to perform her remaining council duties, including sitting on intergovernmental affairs and audit committees, calling the police board a particularly demanding role.
“Police board takes approximately one day a week of my time on average, and with school, working full-time, council duties and other committees, and, you know, my pet fish, something had to give.”
Ch’ng called joining the police board in 2022 a “daunting task,” after the body was rocked by internal conflict, the appointment of provincial administrator Malcolm Mercer, and numerous resignations.
The board regained voting powers on July 1, though Mercer will remain on the board at least through 2024.
Ch’ng argued the period since has seen progress, with board functioning returning, a policy overhaul underway, and the appointment of new police chief Darcy Fleury.
Going forward, she said filling vacancies and addressing recruitment challenges would be one key task for the police board.
An earlier version of this article stated Coun. Shelby Ch'ng had sat on the police services board for less than a year. In fact, she was first appointed in May of 2022. TBnewswatch apologizes for the error.
This article has been updated with comment from Coun. Kasey Etreni.
