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Edmonton Police Commission chairman John McDougall during a city council meeting on Nov. 15, 2022. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia
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The head of Edmonton’s police commission has resigned after his plans to govern remotely from Portugal for up to two years were made public last week.
Chairman John McDougall announced his immediate resignation Tuesday — two hours after Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said in a statement he expects the commissioner, one of three appointed to the civic board by the Alberta government, to step down in 2025 after the overseas move is made permanent. His resignation, and Ellis’ comments, came following public backlash to the news of McDougall’s plans reported by this newspaper and other local media on Friday.
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“After much reflection over the past few days, I have decided to resign my position as a member of the Edmonton Police Commission, effective immediately,” McDougall said in a statement published on the Edmonton Police Commission’s website.
‘Unwelcome distraction’
McDougall last week said he planned to remain on the commission until his term ends in December 2026 but won’t seek the top chair spot nor collect honorariums next year. Working remotely isn’t unusual, he told this newspaper in a Zoom interview from Portugal on Friday, saying his physical location isn’t a problem because he has local connections and access to the internet.
By Tuesday, McDougall changed course. His relocation would distract from the commission’s work, he said.
“It is clear that my residency would be an unwelcome distraction from the important work of the commission, which is not fair to the citizens who rely on us to provide governance and oversight of the Edmonton Police Service,” he said Tuesday.
“I thank my fellow commissioners whom I had the pleasure (of) serving alongside over the past seven years. I am truly honoured to have improved policing in Edmonton and look forward to seeing that work continue for the betterment of this city. I leave the commission with my head held high and my heart full of gratitude.”
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In a public statement Friday afternoon, McDougall said he informed the provincial government he was moving and had the public safety minister’s support.
But Ellis seemed surprised to hear McDougall’s Europe move was permanent when reporters asked him about it at an unrelated news conference in Calgary Friday morning. Ellis’ understanding, he said at the time, was McDougall would perform his duties from Edmonton and relocate to Portugal to retire with his partner when his term was complete.
Ellis’ office released a statement later that day saying McDougall’s seven years of experience are “vital” during a time of transition at the Edmonton Police Service and commission, and that he looks forward to his continued leadership.
Public backlash
News of the Portugal plans was criticized by experts and local politicians in the local news media, and by the public online over the weekend. Postmedia reached out to Ellis’ office Monday for an update given the strong public reaction.
“John is in Portugal over the holidays while he is setting up his new residence there. He remains a resident of Edmonton. Once he permanently moves later in 2025, the expectation is that he would step down,” Ellis said in an email Tuesday morning.
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Criminologist Temitope Oriola, a professor at the University of Alberta, said the strong public reaction shows Edmontonians were “justifiably alarmed” and confused by the news. The public is engaged and invested in ensuring there is proper oversight of the police, he said.
At the same time, he said this story hit a nerve because of the rising distrust in public institutions.
“There’s already a trust deficit, especially in this time and age,” he said. “It fed into that pre-existing concern and people did not hesitate to voice what they felt about this.”
When the public speaks out so strongly, it’s important to listen, he said.
“I think it’s absolutely crucial,” Oriola said. “Had he somehow managed to remain on without stepping aside we would be sending the wrong signal to society.
“Trust is a fundamental element of what makes society possible … (law and order) rests on the fundamental decency of the average (person).”
Ultimately he thinks the right thing has been done for residents and taxpayers in Edmonton as the commission oversees the most expensive area of the city’s budget — the police department.
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Residency requirements
The City of Edmonton had residency requirements for police commissioners until 2021. Later postings removed this. City policy says residency in Edmonton “is a consideration rather than mandatory” for its agencies, boards and commissions.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi thinks the city may need to “tighten up our residency requirements,” he told reporters Tuesday.
Speaking to Postmedia Monday, the mayor said he doesn’t think those changes were meant so someone could leave the city permanently and stay on the police commission, but to accommodate temporary moves for work or family emergencies, or potentially to bring in someone exceptional from the Capital region.
“The public expects commission members to engage with them in a meaningful way — that is not possible when someone is not physically present in the community permanently,” he said.
Oriola agrees the policy needs to be reviewed to make it clear Edmonton police commission members must be local, with room for temporary moves in emergencies.
Sohi said he appreciates McDougall’s commitment to the city and the work he’s done on the commission.
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