WINNIPEG — It’s been two months since Councillor Ross Eadie admitted to a drunken night out that ended in the drunk tank and it’s still haunting him.
At Monday’s Standing Policy Committee at city hall, Councillor Eadie left the meeting as several councillors questioned Eadie’s suspension from the Winnipeg Police Board.
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Transcona Councillor Russ Wyatt called it a “Witch hunt” and a “shame” the way Eadie is being treated.
“He has not been charged with breaking the law.” said Wyatt, “he’s publicly admitted he made a mistake, he’s publicly apologized, personally I believe this is a bit of a witch hunt.”
The board asked Eadie not to return to its monthly meetings, after the incident on November 7, until an internal inquiry was done into his conduct that night, conduct that is outlined in the board’s Code of Ethical Conduct, which states, “Board members shall refrain from acting unlawfully and/or from engaging in conduct that would discredit or compromise the integrity of the board or the police service.”
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Eadie doesn’t remember what he said or how he acted when he blacked out, but the board has received complaints from the Winnipeg Police Association that the councillor’s comments to officers may jeopardize his ability to make unbiased decisions.
“Our members came to us with their concerns, we shared their concerns and brought the information we had to the board,” said Moe Sabourin, President of the Winnipeg Police Board. “We feel Eadie has broken the code of conduct, not by being in the drunk tank but his interactions with our members that night.”
Eadie reacted to that claim for the first time Monday, “The Winnipeg Police Association is making accusations that are totally ridiculous.”
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Eadie says he’s not stepping down from the board and feels he did nothing wrong.
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“What I would say is Councillor Wyatt is expressing my frustration,” said Eadie after Monday’s meeting. “The whole process that’s being initiated here is, I’ll just say it, its ridiculous. There’s no timeline here so in effect basically I am suspended from the police board from doing anything.”
The Winnipeg Police Board will decide in the coming weeks if Eadie will be forced to resign or can stay on the board.
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