A powerless ombudsman

The new police contract explicitly authorizes the ombudsman to write a closing report “so long as the closing report does not identify specific members of the department and does not in any way comment on officer discipline (or lack thereof ).” Without this power, the ombudsman has no power, so why is he being paid?

Hiring an ombudsmen under this contract is like hiring a lifeguard who’s forbidden from jumping in the water to rescue someone. Sure, the lifeguard can sit in the lifeguard chair and blow the lifeguard whistle, but if a kid is holding another kid under water, the lifeguard can only offer general instructions to all about the dangers of rough-housing in the water.

Why not chart a new course? Send the ombudsmen out into the community to follow up on issues relating to domestic abuse and no contact orders. Or, quit the charade and eliminate the ombudsmen position altogether. The money saved could be used to hire a few social workers to take on the heavy burden of domestic violence issues which plagues our community. That would free the police a bit so they can do police work.

The bottom line is that money paid to the ombudsman could be better used elsewhere.

Jerry Bishop

Chattaroy