John McDougall, a seven-year member of the Edmonton police fee and its present chair, plans to spend two extra years on the oversight board from Portugal.
In a press release launched Friday, McDougall mentioned he’s retiring from his profession within the Canadian Armed Forces and transferring abroad.
His time because the fee chair is up on Dec. 31, 2024, and he mentioned he will not search that place once more. However his appointment as a fee member lasts till the tip of 2026, and McDougall intends to remain on for the remainder of his time period regardless of the transfer to Europe.
“I’ve resided in Edmonton, and Alberta, for a really very long time and my ties to this group don’t merely disappear after I step onto an airplane,” McDougall mentioned.
“I’m additionally not the primary Edmonton police fee member who does not reside within the metropolis of Edmonton, so this doesn’t come with out precedent.”
The town police oversight board is chargeable for allocating the Edmonton Police Service funds and establishing policing insurance policies, amongst different duties. The fee can also be at the moment working towards hiring a brand new police chief, with Dale McFee stepping down in February.
A police fee spokesperson mentioned McDougall wasn’t accessible for an interview Friday as a result of he’s already in Portugal, the place it was late at evening by mid-afternoon in Edmonton.
McDougall did not specify who else has been an Edmonton police fee member from elsewhere, or how far-off they lived. His assertion says there aren’t any residency necessities for commissioners in both municipal or provincial rules.
Police fee members do not at all times attend in particular person, and a number of conferences this yr had been held nearly.
Minister’s workplace helps resolution, McDougall says
The 12-member police fee consists of two metropolis councillors and 10 civilian members. Three of these commissioners, together with McDougall, are appointed by the provincial authorities.
In keeping with his assertion, he “sought approval from the minister’s workplace, they usually supported me on this resolution.”
Public Security Minister Mike Ellis was requested about McDougall’s intent to remain on police fee from Portugal at an unrelated information convention Friday.
Ellis mentioned he’d heard “vaguely” of the deliberate transfer, however “I used to be not conscious he could be performing his duties abroad, so it is the primary time listening to of this.”
Requested over electronic mail whether or not he helps McDougall persevering with to serve on police fee remotely, Ellis did not reply. He responded in a press release that McDougall’s “expertise and data is significant throughout this time of change at EPS and on the fee.
“I do know John is often in Edmonton and engaged with the every day actions of the fee. I stay up for John’s continued management on the fee right now,” the minister mentioned.
McDougall mentioned he is not going to search the honorarium usually offered to commissioners for the remainder of his time period, and he is informed the board he’s “accessible to return for in-person fee enterprise as required.”
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