It didn’t take long for Ward 3 Coun. Mo Salih to shake up the London Police services board.
At his first meeting Thursday as a member of the board, Salih won his motion to move the monthly meetings to city hall. Salih argued that holding them at the police headquarters discourages residents, especially minorities, from attending because they feel intimidated.
The board voted 4-3 in support of the motion Thursday, and will begin holding its meetings at city hall starting in January. Other community venues, including police headquarters, will be used on a rotating basis.
Salih tells 980 CFPL not everyone is comfortable attending meetings at the Dundas St. headquarters.
“The reality is not everyone has the same experiences, and I’ve heard from numerous people who’ve expressed concerns, that sometimes they feel intimidated attending meetings at the London Police Headquarters,” he said. “Maybe that young man or woman wants to come in and give their insight, but to expect them to come to a place where they feel like maybe they wont be heard, maybe they feel intimidated or like they aren’t welcome, it doesn’t make sense.”
Salih, Mayor Matt Brown, Susan Toth, and Vanessa Ambtman-Smith, who also recently joined the board, voted in favour of moving the meetings.
Coun. Stephen Turner, who will be replaced by Coun. Jesse Helmer next month, Michael Deeb and board chair Jeanette Eberhard voted to keep the meetings where they are.
The board has seen a lot of change this year. Aside from Salih and Ambtman-Smith, Toth also recently joined the board, replacing former budget chief Paul Paolatto.
Salih says they need to do a better job of connecting with the community and its worth exploring holding meetings at different venues across the city.
The board’s next meeting is January 18 at city hall.