TORONTO – Politicians are calling on the police services board to delay choosing a replace for Bill Blair until after a new council and mayor are elected October 27.
The police services board is made up of civilian members and elected officials who have full control over picking the next chief.
But the board will be dissolved at the next election and chosen again by the new council.
“My first impulse may not be the last, but my first impulse would be to roll it over to the new administration,” deputy mayor Norm Kelly told reporters at city hall Thursday.
“I think the board that would be formed next year is the board that should make the choice because they’re the ones that have to be in a supervisory position of that new chief.”
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Mayoral candidate David Soknacki also called on the selection to be held until after the election, noting in a press release that two of the seven members of the board are seeking re-election and may not even be part of the next board.
The new chief, whoever it is, will have to replace current Chief Bill Blair whose contract the board chose not to extend past April, 2015.
And if Mayor Rob Ford wins re-election, the next chief will have to deal with the possibility of an ongoing investigation of the mayor – Project Brazen.
But Ford wouldn’t comment on any of the controversy surrounding him and the current or next chief of police.
Instead, he just wants the next chief to watch the bottom line.
“As long as they’re going to find the efficiencies and at the end of the day, keep our city safe, that’s it,” he said Thursday.
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