Lethbridge MLA expects public inquiry into police to go ahead, minister remains vague

NDP MLA Shannon Phillips says she expects a public inquiry into the Lethbridge Police Service to go ahead once Alberta's police watchdog releases its full report regarding three officers on the force.

Phillips's comments come after Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis remained vague as to whether or not the inquiry would proceed, in light of the Crown's refusal to pursue charges against the officers. 

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) recommended the Crown lay charges against three officers who used police databases to improperly access the personal information of two people, including Phillips. 

"The public inquiry has been called, it is not clear to me under the Public Inquiries Act that a minister can just simply not do something that a previous government has ordered to take place," Phillips said on Tuesday, speaking to reporters. 

In 2021, an inquiry into the practices and policies of the Lethbridge Police Service was ordered by then-justice minister Kaycee Madu following multiple instances of unauthorized access of police databases.

That inquiry has been on hold pending the outcome of ASIRT's investigations, and Phillips said she has heard very little about it since then. 

"It is my expectation that the minister proceed according to the terms of reference that were laid out by minister Madu in the first instance, because that public inquiry will actually yield some insight into who knew what, when and how and who did what, and that the public inquiry will then, therefore, not be a waste of the public's time."

Ellis maintained his previous position on Tuesday, telling reporters that "some query" into what happened would be carried out. 

"I do believe in public accountability.… I think people need to be held accountable. And I do believe in public trust. 

"I think the people of Lethbridge need to know that they can trust their law enforcement community. I can tell you that I have spoken to the chief of police, and he assures me that he's made some policy changes within the organization, to make sure these sort of things like this do not happen again."

Phillips said she thinks the public inquiry would be beneficial for both herself and the community. 

"I think it's in the public interest to do some fact finding around my case. Here we are four years after we first discovered, only because I filed a Freedom of Information request, the full extent of the misconduct and the discreditable activities and the, in fact, criminal activities on the part of Lethbridge Police Service.

"My interest in all of this from the very beginning has been the public interest."