Police Commission transparency could stand to be enhanced

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on January 19, 2019.

Internal police surveys brought to the News by local paralegal Ken Montgomery raise some valid concerns about the work culture within the Medicine Hat Police Service, as well as a perceived lack of transparency on the part of the police commission.

Both surveys were conducted by City of Medicine Hat Human Resources, who were selected based on their impartiality.

The first questionnaire asked female officers about the challenges they face compared with their male colleagues. Around 42 per cent of the participating female officers said they didn’t feel they had the same opportunities for advancement as their male counterparts. This is a minority, but a significant one nonetheless.

The second of the two surveys, which asked all MHPS staff about their work environment, had similarly mixed results, many of which reflect poorly on the force’s leadership.

A word cloud of various phrases used to describe the work environment at MHPS includes “Old Boys Club,” “Cronyism,” “Political,” “Cliquey,” “Poison” and “Toxic.” To be fair to the MHPS, the cloud also includes terms such as “Awesome,” “Team” and “Welcoming.”

However, according to the survey, 45 per cent of descriptors carried a negative connotation, while 13 per cent were positive — quite a stark contrast.

Presumably, the other 42 per cent of words were neutral.

None of these phrases are by any means unique to the MHPS. A field as traditionally male-dominated as policing everywhere could understandably be referred to as a “boys club.”

However, with enhanced efforts to increase female representation in the force, these are issues that could be of interest to the public. In terms of popular perceptions, it’s better to release excessive information about the governing of a public body than too little.

Montgomery alleges the results of these surveys were suppressed because they reflect poorly on the MHPS top brass. This is, of course, a very serious allegation.

Police Chief Andy McGrogan and Medicine Hat Police Commission chair Greg Keen each told the News in separate interviews Thursday that Montgomery is mistaken and the MHPS has provided the MHPC with the survey results.

However, a glance at the minutes of the meetings from 2017, the year the surveys were initiated by McGrogan, and 2018, show only two mentions of their results.

In May 2017, McGrogan informed the MHPC that he was ordering the second survey based on the results of the initial questionnaire. And then in December 2017, McGrogan said that based on the survey results, the MHPS created a new policy on clothing or appearance.

There’s been no mention since in Police Commission meeting minutes of the surveys.

This is in no way suggesting malice on the part of McGrogan or Keen.

The surveys had decidedly mixed results and the initial survey for just female members had only seven participants.

It’s understandable the MHPS and MHPC wouldn’t want to risk there being a public spectacle over the results, particularly if they don’t perceive them as being out of the ordinary.

But, at the same time, 20 per cent of the city’s budget goes to the police. Residents have a right to be informed about any potential issues with policing in the Hat, whether internal or external.

It’s the job of the MHPC to ensure this happens. They must do a better job at transparency.