WINNIPEG -- The chair of the Winnipeg Police Board will present a motion at Thursday’s city council meeting to address concerns over background checks that blocked a Winnipeg city councillor from serving on the board.
Coun. Markus Chambers announced on Wednesday he will bring forward a motion to have the Winnipeg Police Service conduct a jurisdictional review of security checks for people who wish to serve on the board.
If passed, the police service would have 90 days to complete the review.
The motion would instruct the police service to look at which Canadian jurisdictions require a background security check and which agency performs them. The motion would also ask for the report to look at the intended purpose and breadth of background security checks that are conducted.
Last week, Coun. Vivian Santos, who represents Point Douglas, stepped down from the board after failing the security check from the Winnipeg police. Santos has since said she is reconsidering the decision and looking at legal options to clear her name, saying she feels the Winnipeg police “acted arbitrarily” and denied her procedural fairness.
The Winnipeg Police Service currently administers the background check for people looking to serve on the board.
In an interview with CTV News, Coun. Matt Allard said he is concerned about an apparent conflict of interest in having the Winnipeg police Service oversee the background checks for people looking to serve on the board.
-With files from CTV’s Jeff Keele and Danton Unger
