Nine Manitobans have been appointed to the new Manitoba Police Commission, officials with the province announced on Friday morning.

The commission will provide civilian input to policing services in Manitoba. It is part of the new Police Services Act, which was introduced in 2009 following the inquiry into the death of Crystal Taman.

Taman died in February of 2005, when a truck driven by off-duty Winnipeg Const. Derek Harvey-Zenk crashed into her car. The inquiry looked into the actions of the police who investigated the incident. Charges against a former East St. Paul police chief were eventually laid.

Robert Taman, Crystal's husband, is one of the nine civilians on the new Police Commission.

The new commission will be led by criminologist Rick Linden, who has also served as the co-chair of the Manitoba Auto Theft Task Force.

"This is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to working with police, communities and the province to help improve policing practices in Manitoba," said Linden in a press release issued by the province.

Lynn Sauvé, the program director at the Boys and Girls Club of Thompson, will be the vice chair.

Six other Manitobans have been appointed to the commission: Sam Anderson, Mildred (Missy) Flett, Joe Gallagher, Roberta Graham, Harley Grouette and Habtamu Wedajo.

Justice Minister Andrew Swan said the Manitoba Police Commission is another step towards establishing an independent investigation unit (IIU) to monitor investigation of police officers and police incidents. The commission will recruit and train the civilians who will monitor IIU investigations.

The Manitoba Police Commission will also help train local police boards, Swan said.

Bios of commission members provided by the provincial government:

Dr. Rick Linden

Linden is a sociology professor and research fellow with the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba. He has co-chaired Manitoba's Auto Theft Task Force since 2001 and is on the management committee of Winnipeg's Gang Response and Analysis Program (GRASP). He is the author of more than 60 published papers and reports, and is the author or editor of four books including Canada's best-selling criminology text. Linden helped to draft the policing section of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry report and prepared reports on policing and crime prevention for the Aboriginal Justice Implementation Committee. His research interests include work in the areas of women in policing, crime prevention, peacekeeping and dispute resolution. He is also a pilot who served for 38 years in the Air Force reserve. He retired in 2000 at the rank of major-general having served as the commander of Air Reserve Group, chief of reserves and cadets at National Defence Headquarters and Canada's representative on NATO's Reserve Forces Committee.

Lynn Sauvé

Sauvé is the program director at the Boys and Girls Club of Thompson. She has an extensive background in counselling, with expertise in mediation, conflict resolution, human resource management and group facilitation. She has worked as a life-skills coach, employment facilitator and counsellor. Her extensive volunteer and community commitments include involvement with the Northern Grandmothers Council, Adolescent Health Education Centre Committee, Sexually Exploited Youth Committee and Safer Choices Northern Network Committee and assisting at the Burntwood Regional Health Resource Centre.

Sam Anderson

Anderson was the executive vice-president of community relations with the Tribal Council Investment Group (TCIG) following his retirement from the RCMP. Originally from the Dauphin River First Nation in Manitoba, Anderson's more than 25 years of policing experience included heading the RCMP's Aboriginal Policing Service, where he was deeply involved with community justice forums. The recipient of numerous policing awards, Anderson focused on the principles of restorative justice, suicide prevention and working to improve cultural awareness.

Mildred (Missy) Flett

Flett is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF). Originally from Norway House, she attended both Red River College and the University of Manitoba studying business administration. She has received infantry training with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. She served as the communications co-ordinator and community relations officer for the Manitoba Métis Federation in Winnipeg and was the chair of the Norway House MMF local for two years. She worked as the director of sales, marketing and programs with the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a facilitator with the organization, assisting clients with resume preparation, career counselling and interview preparation.

Joe Gallagher

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Gallagher graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a bachelor of arts degree and the University of Manitoba with a bachelor of laws degree. He worked for the Winnipeg Police Service for more than 29 years and retired as a deputy chief of police. He followed his policing career with practising law including six years with the Law Society of Manitoba and two years with the Manitoba ombudsman's office. For the past four years he has been involved in a general law practice in Winnipeg. He has been a volunteer and served on the board of the United Way of Winnipeg. He is a former member of the University of Manitoba board of governors and alumni association board and was a board member of Citizens Against Impaired Driving (now MADD Manitoba).

Roberta Graham

Graham is currently the president of the Canadian Registry for Marriage and Family Therapists and is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She has maintained a private practice in therapy in Brandon for the past 14 years and is an assistant professor in psychiatric nursing at Brandon University. She teaches courses on counselling theory and skills and abuse in families, and is a sessional instructor in the masters of marriage and family program with Aurora Family Therapy Centre at the University of Winnipeg. Graham is involved with RESOLVE as one of two academic representatives from Brandon University and has a strong background working with community-based, not-for-profit agencies as an employee, board member and volunteer.

Harley Grouette

Grouette is currently the senior human resources manager at Maple Leaf Foods and an active member of the Brandon community. He is the vice-chair of the board for the Brandon YMCA and has been involved in all aspects of the new YMCA building project. He is also an active member of the board of the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation and the Food for Thought Program in Brandon. His first career was with the RCMP and he was stationed in British Columbia for 22 years.

Robert Taman

Taman works in sales at Jayvee Distributors. He has been actively involved in advocating for accountability and integrity in policing since the tragic death of his wife Crystal in 2005. Her death was the subject of a provincial inquiry that led to recommendations for fundamental changes to the structure of policing in Manitoba.

Habtamu Wedajo

Wedajo worked with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Canadian High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, as an interpreter and local advisor prior to coming to Canada. He is currently a community resource co-ordinator with the Immigrants and Refugees Community Organization of Manitoba. He is a board member with the Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg Refugee Sponsors Group and a member of the community advisory committee to the Occupational Health and Safety Centre of Winnipeg. With more than seven years of experience working with immigrants and the community development sector, he is particularly knowledgeable about settlement processes and issues relating to war-affected communities.