Belleville Police Chief Ron Gignac (File photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
The Belleville Police Services Board has been asked to take a second look at the legitimacy of a complaint about comments made by Chief Ron Gignac.
The Board said no to the first request.
Earlier this year city, resident Darren Moore filed a complaint to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director about Gignac’s response to a comment made by a local judge, that a strip search conducted by Quinte West OPP on a woman was “an egregious abuse of police power.”
Gignac was quoted as saying, in part, he was more concerned about the safety of a life, than a Charter of Rights violation.”
On September 29, the board wrote to the OIPRD that it was “not prepared to recommend an investigation.”
In his letter of October 16, which Quinte News has obtained, Director Gerry McNeilly says the board’s function was to review the complaint and determine whether the conduct of the chief “may” constitute an offence in law, unsatisfactory work performance, or misconduct.
McNeilly says he “cannot see where the board considered and decided this one issue that was before it…”
McNeilly ends his letter calling for the board to “address the issue of whether the conduct of Chief Gignac, as set out in the complaint, may constitute an offence in law or unsatisfactory work performance or misconduct.”
He asks the board to provide “clear reasons” for its decision.
Moore, who first filed his complaint in July, told Quinte News he has not heard from the board but received a copy of the OIPRD letter.
Quinte News has reached out to the chair of the Belleville Police Services Board, Mayor Taso Christopher, for comment but has not yet received a reply.
To read the full OIPRD letter click here
