Prince Albert Police Service, union accuse each other of harassment
CBC
The war of words is continuing between the Prince Albert Police Service and the group representing officers.
Last weekend, the police service posted a thank-you video to outgoing Chief Jonathan Bergen. But another note was posted Monday saying they had to remove the video due to "ongoing and persistent harassment of our chief of police by members within and outside our organization." One Prince Albert police administrator posted a note calling the harassment "cowardly."
But Casey Ward, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers said he saw the post and comments before they were removed, and didn't see anything that constituted harassment. Ward said he can't understand why senior Prince Albert police administrators are choosing to point fingers at officers.
He says these divisive tactics are what led to the unprecedented pair of non-confidence votes against Bergen over the past couple of years.
"It's like they're just trying to blame this all on the officers that are still working there. Enough is enough. It's time to move on. There's going to be a new chief coming in. We have to work together. So why keep on trying to cause that divide between management and the the officers?" said Ward, who also works as a sergeant in the Regina Police Service.
Ward said most officers are looking forward to welcoming a new chief and concentrating on serving their community.
"Everyone up there is very, very happy and excited that you know there will be some new leadership and that they can just go to work and and do their job," Ward said.
CBC News asked the Prince Albert police to elaborate and supply examples of this alleged online harassment. No one was available Tuesday.
Prince Albert Police Chief John Bergen announced last week he was leaving the force. It came on the heels of a damning report showing his officers' inaction may have led to the death of infant Tanner Brass.
In his farewell press conference, he said some of his officer engaged in "aggressive personal attacks" against him. It included defamatory flyers distributed around the city.
Bergen's departure came on the same day as a damning report was released by the Saskatchewan Public Complaints Commission (SPCC) into the death of infant Tanner Brass. It called the death "tragic and potentially avoidable." It listed "a series of compounded failures" by officers to protect Tanner.
Bergen has said members weren't happy that he referred the Tanner Brass investigation to the SPCC. But Ward said that's not true, and the SPCC was the appropriate body to handle the matter. He also noted the first non-confidence vote against Bergen came well before this February 2022, death.
No new chief has been named, but officials say they were chosen from the ranks of the Saskatoon Police Service.
The provincial government also confirmed it has received another report on the PA police service. It plans to release that in the coming weeks.
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