A West Grey councillor is apologizing after the municipality’s integrity commissioner found she violated the code of conduct by “unfairly impugning” members of the West Grey Police Service.
A report was brought forward at West Grey’s Aug. 9 council meeting detailing a complaint against Coun. Rebecca Hergert probed by Integrity Commissioner Janice Atwood-Petkovski.
The integrity commissioner’s report says a complaint was received May 2 concerning comments Hergert made during an April 5 meeting when council was discussing a costing analysis being undertaken for the West Grey Police Service.
According to the report, Hergert said she “will not be strong armed on policing whether it be budget, whether it be Integrity Commissioner threats from members of our service” and also stated “I am not the most vulnerable person in the community, but when I am treated like this, I can’t imagine what the most vulnerable people in our community feel like. For that reason, I am seeking an OPP costing for the standardization of policing, for the removal of some subjectivity in our community, that we are just policing the law.”
The integrity comissioner says Coun. Hergert acknowledged the statements, the innuendo and negative implication cast by her comments. The report says she also expressed “sincere regret for appearing to tarnish the reputation” of members of West Grey Police.
Hergert also acknowledged there have been no threats to her or her family, and no member of the police has threatened or intimidated her or her family as well, the report says.
“While there is general recognition by the public that politicians indulge from time to time in hyperbole and exaggeration, the mischief of such statements is that they may gain traction,” the integrity commissioner’s report says. “Where such public pronouncements impugn the professional or ethical reputation of employees, they cross a line.”
West Grey Council is currently reviewing its municipal police service, and is also receiving costing proposals from the OPP and Owen Sound Police as part of the process.
“We are aware that this initiative has raised significant controversy in the community. It is often the case that polarizing positions are experienced when a municipal council is considering the possibility of disbanding its local police force, and West Grey is no different in this regard,” says the report.
Coun. Geoffrey Shea commented on the integrity commissioner’s report: “We’ve heard that Coun. Hergert did not mean to cause harm or consternation to anyone on the police service. I believe she was trying to do her best to address challenging subjects with as much honesty and poise as she could muster under the circumstances.”
