Former Windsor police chief gets paid $191K last year despite retiring in early 2022

Former Windsor police chief Pam Mizuno was paid more than $191,000 last year even though she hasn't been with the service since March of 2022.

Mizuno's salary, along with all other Windsor police employees who made more than $100,000 in 2023, were released this week. The Public Salaries Disclosure Act requires all provincially funded institutions make this information public.

Mizuno's retirement was sudden and abrupt, an announcement made on March 22, 2022 and that took effect nine days later. In an internal memo, Mizuno said she decided to retire because her "attention is drawn primarily to my family" and she didn't have the time to fulfil her role as chief.

At that time, she was in the middle of her five-year contract that didn't expire until October of 2024.

On March 23, 2022, CBC News asked police board chair and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens if Mizuno would be paid for the duration of her contract despite the unexpected retirement.

"No. Her contract went until October 2024. So she does not get paid her contract until the end of that time," said Dilkens in 2022.

Windsor's mayor said in 2022 that a contract for retired police chief Pam Mizuno will not be paid out

1 year ago

Duration 0:14

Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens, who's also chair of the police board, said in 2022 that Pam Mizuno will not be paid out for her five-year contract after abruptly retiring. We now know Mizuno was paid $266,000 in 2022 for three months of work and $191,000 in 2023 for not working at all.

However, Mizuno was paid a full salary of $266,000 in 2022 for only three months of work. And we now know she was paid $191,295 in 2023.

Mayor unavailable for comment

CBC News requested an interview with Dilkens on Tuesday for anytime this week.

"The mayor is not available," said a spokesperson with the Windsor Police Services Board in an email.

Police union demanding answers

However, the Windsor Police Association (WPA) said the board owes the public, and Windsor police employees, an explanation.

"It was our understanding, as members of the WPA, that Chief Mizuno had resigned from the service and was not provided a pay-out," said WPA president Kent Rice. "However, it has become apparent that our understanding was mistaken, and this is not the case."

"The Windsor Police Services Board needs to explain itself to the community and the members of the Windsor Police Association on whether this trend of paying the ex-chief will continue and for how long," he added.

Rice said the amount paid to Mizuno for time not spent working at Windsor police could have been used for operational needs.

Hiring "much-needed" front line officers, combating rising crime rates and funding pilot projects that focus on individuals dealing with substance abuse issues are all areas the money could have been used, Rice added.

Last year, when CBC News asked Dilkens why Mizuno received a full salary in 2022 for three months of work, he said he couldn't comment.

"It's about an identifiable individual, so I can't talk about the matter," Dilkens said in March of 2023.

By comparison, the Windsor Police Service's current police chief, Jason Bellaire, was paid a salary of $258,000 in 2023, according to public disclosure documents.

Windsor's mayor, police board chair won't discuss retired chief's mysterious retirement agreement

2 years ago

Duration 2:58

Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens, who's also chair of the local police board, isn't explaining how Pam Mizuno was paid $266,000 last year despite retiring on March 31, 2022. Dilkens also won't say if Mizuno continues to be paid and if she'll appear on the sunshine list next year.

CBC News reached out to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police in an attempt to speak with Mizuno.