London’s police chief, Steve Williams, said an investigation was underway after a member of the police turned up at City Hall in uniform to voice opposition to the proposed development.
Dozens attended Monday afternoon’s Planning and Environment Committee meeting to voice opposition to a proposal that would see two buildings with five apartments each built at 489 Upper Queen St., a site previously occupied by a home.
At one point, the officer, in full uniform except for a hat, stepped up to the microphone to voice his concerns.
“I couldn’t help but stay out that day looking at that area and thinking about the box that’s going to be staring at me in the back yard if this develops,” the officer said.
AJ Ray watched the encounter online and admitted he was surprised when the officer approached the microphone.
“I had to verify that this employee was actually trying to make a public comment and wasn’t just there to provide security at the meeting,” Ray told CTV News.
He researches and consults on planning matters and has a particular interest in infill developments such as that proposed for Upper Queen.
(Source: @WrayAJ/Twitter) When he realized the officer was actually speaking out against the project, Wray took to social media, citing the Police Services Act and tweeting: “You cannot show up in uniform to a City Hall Public Participation Meeting regarding a development application.”
Still speaking to CTV News, Ray said, “Whether you’re a police officer, a firefighter or a paramedic, you shouldn’t appear in uniform at a public meeting like this.”
After being contacted by CTV News, Chief Steve Williams released a statement on social media that said, “This morning I found out about a uniform [London police] official who is said to have attended the town hall yesterday providing a personal opinion on a development application. The views expressed by the employee do not reflect the views of LPS. LPS has not taken an official position on this application. I directed an investigation into the employee’s conduct. An investigation will be conducted and information will be released in accordance with applicable law.”
A request for further comment was made, but that request has so far been declined.
Ray said it’s important for those who wear a uniform to understand what that uniform can symbolize to others.
“People are afraid to be in front of the police in certain cases. They feel uncomfortable with the police. We also know that the police wield considerable power and trust.” He continued: “She has a right to share her views, it’s her property and she’s around, but showing up in that uniform and giving those comments that credibility can be quite embarrassing.”
Wray acknowledged that there are times when police officers will appear in uniform to make deputations, such as during budget procedures related to the service or providing information to identify potential traffic safety concerns arising from development.
In this case, Ray isn’t looking for serious consequences. He believes it should simply be a matter of education, “…and making sure frontline workers are aware of their responsibilities under [Police Services] Act and that they can’t just appear in front of a public meeting and make statements.”
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