City politicians join London police board as big decisions loom
A two-term city councillor and a rookie politician have been appointed to the London police board.
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A two-term city councillor and a rookie politician have been appointed to the London police board.
Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson, an accountant and coach elected in October, and Ward 8 Coun. Steve Lehman join the seven-member board responsible for overseeing policing in the city, the police board announced Wednesday.
Mayor Josh Morgan and lawyer Susan Toth, who joined the board in 2017 and is the current chair, were also reappointed for four-year terms.
The new appointments come as the board is in the process of hiring replacements for outgoing police Chief Steve Williams and Deputy Chief Stu Betts.
Williams, a 31-year London police veteran who took the helm of the force in 2019, is retiring in the spring, but could be off the job earlier in the year because of banked time.
Betts is leaving in January to become police chief in Peterborough. His departure leaves London’s other deputy chief, Trish McIntyre, as the internal front-runner for top job, and she has said she was “strongly considering” applying.
The board has hired executive recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson to assist in the hiring of the next chief and deputy chief. The London, U.K.-based company will recruit and evaluate candidates before the board interviews them and ultimately negotiates their contracts.
The board faces another big decision next year when police will seek approval for a new multi-year budget, though it will be city council that will give the final approval.
The police board is made up the mayor, three city appointees and three provincial appointees. The other members include former London Abused Women’s Centre executive director Megan Walker, lawyer Ali Chabar and former city councillor Nancy Branscombe.
The board will vote on the appointment of a new chair in January.
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