A vocal critic of carding by London police is set to join the London Police Services board.
Ward 3 Coun. Mo Salih was voted onto the board Monday night by London city council as the board looks to expand from 5 to 7 members.
The police services board received approval in May to expand, with one member coming from city council and the other appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.
In 2015, Salih called for a review of street checks, otherwise known as carding, and shared his own experiences of being stopped by police.
Salih says he’s looking forward to the challenge.
“I look forward to working with my fellow members on council on the police services board to ensure we have the best police service in Ontario,” he said.
Salih becomes the third council member on the board along with Mayor Matt Brown and Coun. Stephen Turner.
The board has been advised that the province is hopeful its appointment could be made as early as November.
It’s expected the seventh member of the board will be aboriginal.
In May, the board voted unanimously in favour of appointing a First Nations member following a presentation by Joe Antone, a counsellor at the Southwest Aboriginal Health Access Centre and London social worker.
Salih says it’s important the board hear from minority voices.
“I take this responsibility very dearly. When it comes to police services boards we lack significantly across Ontario in diversity. It’s not a compliment but it’s a disappointing factor for me to be the only elected black official on the police services board in all of Ontario,” he said.
Salih won’t officially join the police services board until the seventh member is appointed. Their term, along with Brown and Turner, will run until Nov. 30, 2018.
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