A ‘thank you’ video for the Prince Albert Police Service police chief after he announced he was stepping down has been taken down due to ongoing harassment.
The police service said Sunday that the harassment was coming from both within and outside the organization.
Chief Jonathan Bergen announced his retirement on Thursday after a third-party investigation report was publicly released showing a neglect of duty in the death of infant Tanner Brass in February 2022.
The result of the investigation left the police chief to decide on any disciplinary action against the officers that attended that night.
However, in a media statement Thursday evening, Bergen said he is unable to accept the responsibility and announced his retirement from the force.
“It is very public knowledge that my decisions as Chief in this matter have become the subject of escalating criticism and personal attack from a specific core of current and past members of the Prince Albert Police Service,” Bergen’s statement read.
“The circumstances of the attacks on my family leave me in a position that, if I were to accept the responsibilities on me as Chief of Police under the Investigation Report released today – to discipline members, or to further investigate supervising members – it could be misrepresented as biased and influenced by the manner in which my family has been treated.”
Bergen said he faced backlash from members of the PAPS when he decided to suspend the two officers involved pending the review.
“The Service has left those members unsupported and vulnerable,” he said. “These decisions have been personally difficult for me, as have other decisions that I have made that have motivated a very persistent and extraordinary assault on my character, harassment of my family, and criticism of members of my executive team over the past 3 years.”
Bergen’s retirement date is May 31. An interim police chief is being arranged with the Saskatoon Police Service.
James Gacek, an assistant professor in the Department of Justice at the University of Regina said the situation in Prince Albert is an important one to follow, noting there are both external pressures about how the public views policing, but also internal issues within the police service itself.
“It really harkens back to larger concerns about how we understand racism in society, but also accountability issues within the police,” Gacek said.
Gacek noted that Indigenous communities are policed differently than non-Indigenous communities, adding that Prince Albert has a large First Nations community.
“I think we have to keep in mind that when we talk about policing of the community and public safety, Indigenous communities are going to view public safety differently than non-Indigenous communities.”
He said it was difficult to say whether any of this will have an impact on public safety.
Gacek said this situation could lead to further divide between the community as a whole and the police service.
He said the internal issues seen within the police service are reflective of that divide.
Gacek said officers are being asked to understand and empathize with communities that they serve.
“Some communities see (police) as protectors, others see them as instigators, as threats to their own social order.”
He said we need to recognize that police have been used in the past to suppress certain cultures and communities.
Gacek said the report about Tanner Brass’ death shows that the duties of police were not sufficiently understood or assessed correctly.
“While we can certainly start talking about ‘bad apples’ within an institution, we also need to understand the ways in which responsibility is reflective of larger cultural, organizational struggles.”
He said he thinks the Prince Albert Police Service recognizes this as a catalyst moment, adding this is an opportunity for them to be more reflective of officer accountability, as well as systemic accountability and racism.
Gacek said these conversations are being had amongst other police services as well, noting the Thunder Bay Police Service has been undergoing changes to address systemic accountability and racism.
He said training is a good first step, but noted that more was needed, pointing towards community feedback, community stakeholders and partnerships.
“Indigenous communities are expecting more from police services now more than ever before.”
Casey Ward, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers took issue with the Prince Albert Police Service tweet, calling for the police service to “move on.”
“Chief Bergen’s gone, it’s a new era. The members are really looking forward to working with a new chief and getting back to providing great service for their community,” Ward said.
Ward claims he couldn’t see any comments from police members under the video for Bergen, noting that if they were, officers fall under the police act and could face discipline if that were the case.
“If there were issues I don’t think a public forum like that is the place to put it. Talk to the member. If you have to start an investigation of that member, fine.”
He said he didn’t know why the police service would go public, saying that was an issue.
“Prince Albert is a unique city, they have a lot of unique challenges there, and their members just want to go out and work.”
— with files from Brooke Kruger