The Calgary Police Service is hearing concerns about an overhaul in its human resources department after the chief HR officer resigned just six months into the job.
“I know of three different people who have left in that time period who had key positions in HR, and I would be wondering why,” CPS officer Kim Prodaniuk said. “Why are those people leaving only after six months? That’s a red flag.”
Prodaniuk is on leave from the force while she sits on the board for the National Woman in Law Enforcement Association.
Outgoing police Chief Roger Chaffin said other opportunities often lure people away from the Calgary Police Service, citing long retention times for most of the CPS.
“When it’s time for someone to go, when someone wants to leave and make that informed decision, we trust that it’s in their best interest.”
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Chaffin acknowledged that some positions have limited room to grow.
“There’s only so much mobility you have. As you get hired in specific positions, you can only go so far,” Chaffin said.
“You’re pretty much constrained by the area and if people want to pursue other goals, they’re certainly free to do that and we encourage them, if the opportunity presents itself.”
Due to the requirements of a transparent hiring process and due diligence, replacing the chief HR officer will take some time.
But Chaffin doesn’t think this will have a long-term impact on the changes the CPS committed to making to their internal culture. Those changes stemmed from a 2013 workplace review.
“In the long term, it’s not a significant change. In the short term, it always is. But if we’re looking at a five-year change window about how we really change behaviours and how we’re changing all our processes and get all the pieces in place and how our people experience the change. So, yes, this will set us back a little bit, but we will move forward positively, and long-term we will be in a good position.”
Prodaniuk posits that the short tenure of the HR professional during a time of culture change points to more problems.
“I think that there is a lot more to the picture. I would be very concerned as a member of the public why the CPS is committing to reform and having their key reformers quitting after six months to a year.”
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