Police association says chiefs staging 'power grab'

The president of the New Brunswick Police Association said police chiefs in the province are staging a "power grab" with their push to be able to suspend officers without pay.

Dean Secord made the comment on Wednesday at a news conference it called to respond to the recent calls by chiefs to rewrite the Police Act.

"We're witnessing a power grab attempt by the chiefs of police … to destroy the balanced Police Act," said Secord.

The group says that would give police chiefs unfettered power to destroy any officer in their sights. 

Saint John Police officer Chris Messer was held up as an example. He was falsely accused, suspended, then reinstated after a long ordeal.

"Think that I would have to go through this from Day One, without pay, for almost a five year long process... I would have lost everything," said Messer.  

On Aug. 27, Fredericton Police Chief Leanne Fitch said the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police has been pushing for changes to the Police Act for several years. One of the reforms it seeks is for the option to suspend an officer without pay.

"It is not lost on me or the vast majority of members of our force that suspensions with pay during lengthy criminal and Police Act cases do have an impact on the public perception of fairness," said Fitch.

The Fredericton police chief was speaking at a news conference she called to address the number of suspensions on her force.

In his news conference, Secord said the people front-line officers deal with include those who attempt to "injure, maim and kill them."

"These criminals attempt to avoid prosecution and get back at officers by filing false complaints," he said.

Five members of the Fredericton Police Force are currently under suspension. Alleged infractions by the officers include impaired driving while off duty, assault, misappropriation of funds, or firearms offences.

One of the suspended Fredericton officers, Const. Jeff Smiley, was at the association's news conference and said Fitch is attempting to end his career.

Smiley was suspended after allegations of domestic assault and for not turning in his firearm. The assault charge in criminal court was dismissed over a jurisdictional issue.

Smiley now has an arbitration hearing before the New Brunswick Police Commission scheduled for November and another for May 2016.

Another Fredericton officer, Const. Cherie Campbell, is facing an arbitration hearing in December in connection with a shoplifting charge in Maine that was settled out of court without a finding of guilt or innocence.

At Wednesday's news conference, Secord pointed to police officers in Saint John and Miramichi who were off duty for three or four years before being able to clear their name.

"No frontline officer could financially survive if the act allowed chiefs unfettered power to suspend without pay," said Secord.