Expert Panel Report Confirms Ongoing Failures in Thunder Bay Police Service and Board

THUNDER BAY, ON:

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum has released the following statement regarding the Independent Expert Panel’s Final Report to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board:

“This report shows how this Service’s leadership continues to refuse to accept responsibility for its failures and shows no signs of changing.

Inadequate investigations, mishandling of cases, and failure to address urgent issues are not a result of being under-funded, they are a result of failure of leadership.

More than 550 recommendations have been made since 1993 to correct the glaring faults of this Service. Very little work has been done to implement them, and those in authority must be held accountable. 

The path forward for real change must begin with remorse and acceptance of responsibility. It is essential that TBPS senior management and the Board recognize the Expert Panel’s warning that they can no longer continue with the status quo.

Ignoring the need to take responsibility and continuing to pass blame onto other entities, like the provincial and federal governments, will not bring progress. I agree that funding is an underlying issue, but it is not the cause of all of the challenges this Service is facing.

Without leadership accepting responsibility, it is impossible to expect that serious issues such as systemic racism can even begin to be addressed.”

NAN engaged with the Expert Panel through public consultations and submitted several recommendations on the action required to improve the governance and delivery of policing in Thunder Bay. 

For more information please contact:
Michael Heintzman,
Director of Communications
Cell: (807) 621-2790
mheintzman@nan.ca