Councillors want police debate done in public
Posted Mar 1, 2010 02:11:44 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
City council was behind closed doors Monday afternoon to talk about policing. A police commission report is recommending city police take over areas of HRM now patrolled by the RCMP.
A growing number of city councillors are calling for a public debate on the policing question. North End councillor Jerry Blumenthal is the latest to say this should eventually be discussed publicly.
“I think we should involve the residents to find out how they feel, whether they feel they want the RCMP and the police department or they just want the HRP,” says Blumenthal.
Mayor Peter Kelly says he’s open to having this debate in public, but insists council must first discuss it in camera.
“It’s several things: it’s personnel, it’s a contract,” says Kelly. “But if council wants to open it up the doors, we can open the doors. That’s not a problem.”
The mayor also says he will be asking council today to release the police commission report recommending dumping the RCMP.
