Police board formalizes appointment of new chief Danny Smyth
Board also seeks public comment on use-of-force policy; transfers $2M within service to cover salary overruns
The Winnipeg Police Board has approved the appointment of Danny Smyth as the new chief of the Winnipeg Police Service.
In a unanimous vote — a formality, essentially — the police board accepted the recommendation of its search committee to promote Smyth, a deputy chief, to the head of the Winnipeg Police Service.
Smyth will be sworn in on Tuesday. No council approval is required, as he's the first chief appointed by Winnipeg's police board.
At Smyth's last meeting as a deputy chief, the board also approved a first edition of a new use-of-force policy that includes a call to train officers to de-escalate situations involving mentally ill people experiencing crises.
Smyth said the officers already engage in extensive de-escalation training but he appreciates the policy direction.
The police board is seeking public comment on the new use-of-force policy via the City of Winnipeg website.
The police board also approved a transfer of $2 million within the police budget to cover salary overruns related to a smaller-than-expected number of retirements.
Some of the cash will come from a case-management system that's been put off for this year.
The incoming chief also made it clear there's no room in Winnipeg policing for the surveillance of journalists.
Quebec provincial police have confirmed that six members of the press were spied on. Smyth says that has not happened and will not happen here.
"That isn't something that I would endorse. We haven't nor do we intend to surveil media," he said. "Media plays an important role in our society and certainly, there is no room for us as a police service to interfere in that."
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