Edmonton Police Commission on the defensive as council questions chief's connection to report on police funding

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The Edmonton Police Commission (EPC) was on the defensive at city hall about hiring an organization led by the police chief to analyze police funding.

In a tense meeting Monday, city council questioned the commission and Edmonton Police Service (EPS) representatives about a perceived conflict of interest and why non-profit Community Safety Knowledge Alliance (CSKA) — Chief Dale McFee is the president — was contracted.

The CSKA report found Edmonton pays more per capita on policing than any of the other six Canadian cities reviewed between $108 and $37 per person. However, it concludes Edmonton is receiving good value for the money and a police funding formula is beneficial. It also notes McFee is on the board of directors.

The commission told council that CSKA was chosen through a sole-source, non-competitive contract to look at Edmonton’s prior police funding formula, and that the potential for a conflict of interest had been previously discussed in a private meeting.

Ward Dene Coun. Aaron Paquette said he’s been hearing concerns about a conflict.

“Whether or not there is one I could not say, but the perception is everything, especially when you’re talking about the ultimate law enforcement authority in Edmonton, and what people would want to see is everything to be beyond reproach,” he said during the meeting.

In response, commission representatives pointed to the qualifications of researchers involved with the CSKA report.

Paquette interrupted saying he believes this, but he’s talking about public perception.

“If you go to my neighbour and you tell them exactly what you just told me, they’re going to roll their eyes,” he said. “I’m just saying, as grown-ups — I’m sorry to take this tone — but did no one … stop to say this decision may be problematic in the eyes of the public?”

At one point, councillors discussed removing the CSKA report from the documents that would be approved to send a message, but the idea was defeated 4-9.

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he had no doubt about the independence of the researchers involved.

“I hear the commission and I believe the chief had no influence whatsoever in that decision-making,” he said. “I do want to flag though that we need to be careful as we engage in the perception of conflict, as we make judgments, as we make decisions, we need to be absolutely clear and transparent that we do whatever we can in our capacity that there is no perceived conflict.”

Sohi told reporters this discussion was important because policing accounts for a significant portion of expenditures the city approves.

“Of every property tax dollar that Edmontonians pay, 22 cents goes to policing. It’s very important we provide proper scrutiny and ask tough questions and ask for accountability about how those dollars will make our community safe,” the mayor said.

“We heard from the commission that the chief has no involvement in the decision-making process or any involvement in the generation of the report.”

Commission responds

During questioning, the commission and EPS representatives stuck closely to previous talking points, often reading directly from written notes and, at times, not promptly volunteering an answer.

In one instance, commission executive director Matthew Barker read from a prepared statement that closely mirrors a previous news release stating that no conflict exists because McFee is a “volunteer” with the CSKA.

Barker and commission chair John McDougall declined a request for an interview during a break in Monday’s meeting.

In an email Tuesday, Barker said the commission recognizes the need for healthy public discourse, respects councillors’ views, and the discussion was an opportunity to share information and perspectives.

Asked if the EPC stands by the assertion there is no conflict, Barker said they understand the questions but the chief was recused from any involvement in this report.

“The chief received no compensation and was not involved in the report, and to suggest otherwise is incorrect. The chief does not financially benefit personally from a report recommending a funding increase for police. Such suggestions reflect some of the polarized discussion which can happen in the community about policing, and we hope all participants in these discussions will help alleviate such polarization.”

The commission will closely scrutinize procurements around real or perceived conflicts of interest in the future, he said.

The discussion came ahead of Friday’s debate about reinstating a police funding formula. The previous formula was cancelled in 2020 in the wake of increased global scrutiny of police funding, demands for accountability and to address systemic racism.

In the new formula, funding boosts for each of the next four years would be equivalent to a 0.4 per cent tax increase — around $7 million in 2023. EPS’s base budget would begin at $407 million, about the same amount it received from the city this year from both $384.9 million in tax dollars plus $22 million from photo radar ticket revenues.

lboothby@postmedia.com

@laurby

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from the Edmonton Police Commission on Tuesday.