Thread by @SPhillipsAB

There are many specific actions that could have been in @lethpolice “action plan,” but they mailed it in.

They still don’t understand their responsibility to repair profound abuses of public trust.

@KayceeMaduYEG is having none of it; accountability is non-partisan.

#ableg

https://twitter.com/CBCCalgary/status/1399322436890419209

It’s always been interesting to me that the Police Commission has been silent on their responsibilities. As has Leth East MLA Nathan Neudorf. He hasn’t said a word on this topic. His colleagues have been clear. The local MLA who should be just as concerned as I am? Not so much.

The Commission’s complicity in the whole affair has demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of their civilian oversight mandate. Their inaction and learned helplessness has been disappointing, at best. At worst, they contribute to a shocking abrogation of democratic norms.

For 4 years, I’ve expected better out of everyone involved. I gave the system my trust & my public silence from 2017-20. I thought democracy would prevail and stand up for itself. Leth Police & Commission shook my trust in the rule of law and democratic institutions.

This sad, terrible, traumatizing series of events showed me that, in fact, I can’t trust the system to just *work,* especially if partisanship gets in the way. I can’t trust the Commission to make the Chief accountable, regardless of what the law says.

It’s still breathtaking to me that a UCP Minister of Justice has been the person to make sure at least some semblance of accountability happens. It shows the extent of the abuse of power that’s occurred, and is a stinging indictment of how the whole issue’s been handled locally.

I mean, I’m not the UCP’s favourite person. But that’s the thing about the law: it applies equally regardless of our feelings. @lethpolice & Commission figured they could just skate over that. Maybe a lot of them thought I deserved what happened to me, or that no one would care.

I don’t hold out high hopes for the re-written action plan, though I will write to them again with thoughts on how they can improve. I’m always willing to be pleasantly surprised, but it will be quite a leap for these folks to produce a work product that qualifies as “passable,”

Given both the @lethpolice leadership and the Commission’s systematic incompetence bordering on malevolence when it comes to transparency, accountability and change.
#ableg