About the Board
WHAT IS THE POLICE SERVICES BOARD? | WHO ARE THE MEMBERS ? | WHAT DO WE DO?
WHAT IS THE POLICE SERVICES BOARD?
Every municipality in Ontario with its own police service must have a civilian board to govern that police service. Police services boards are independent bodies established by provincial legislation called the Police Services Act. The boards are accountable to the community, the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services, and the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services located in Toronto.
WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE SERVICES BOARD?
The Ottawa Police Services Board (PSB) has seven members: three members of City Council, three citizens appointed by the Province as community representatives, and one citizen appointed by City Council as a community representative. The current members of the Board are:
Provincial Appointees
|
| Diane Guilmet-Harris |
(613) 560-1270 |
| Henry Jensen |
(613) 560-1270 |
|
|
Citizen appointed by City Council:
|
| Jim MacEwen (Vice-Chair) |
(613) 560-1270 |
|
|
City Council Representatives:
|
| Councillor Eli El-Chantiry (Chair) |
(613) 580-2475 |
| Councillor Maria McRae |
(613) 580-2486 |
| Councillor Bob Monette |
(613) 580-2471 |
|
|
Executive Director
|
| Wendy Fedec |
(613) 560-1270 |
|
|
Administrative Assistant
|
| Lynn Kennedy |
(613) 560-1270 |
The Council members and the citizen appointed by Council serve for the duration of the Council term. Two of the provincially appointed members are currently serving terms that expire in early 2011 and the term of the third expires in July 2010. At the first meeting each year, the Board appoints a Chairperson for that year.
WHAT DOES A POLICE SERVICES BOARD DO?
Section 31 of the Police Services Act sets out the responsibilities boards must fulfill on behalf of the residents of their municipality. The primary role of the board is to establish, after consultation with the Chief of Police, the overall objectives and priorities for the provision of police services and the safety and security of citizens. Some of its other key responsibilities include:
- Recruiting and appointing the Chief of Police and Deputy Chiefs of Police;
- Annually assessing the Chief’s performance;
- Approving annual operating and capital budgets for the Police Service;
- Establishing policies and by-laws for the effective management of the police service;
- Preparing a business plan for the Police Service every three years.
The Board cannot direct the Chief with respect to specific operational decisions or day-to-day operations of the Service. The Chief of Police is responsible for administering the Police Service and overseeing its operation in accordance with the objectives, priorities and policies established by the Board.
Diane Guilmet Harris
 |
Ms. Guilmet-Harris was born and raised in Ottawa. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor in Arts concentration in Psychology in 1982. The following year she completed one year of the Master's Program in Criminology at the University of Ottawa and in 1986 received her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Ottawa and was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1988. Since that time Ms. Guilmet-Harris has been employed with the Government of Canada and currently serves as Legal Counsel for the Veterans Ombudsman. She has previously served as Counsel at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Justice. Over the years, she has served on the Board of Directors for her children’s daycare, as team captain for the Arthritis Association and was an active canvasser for the CNIB. She also serves on the Board’s Complaints Committee and Human Resources Committee. Ms. Guilmet-Harris is married to David Harris and they have three children.
Back to Top
|
Henry Jensen
 |
Henry Jensen enjoyed an extraordinary 37-year career in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Prior to his retirement in 1989, Mr. Jensen was Deputy Commissioner, Operations for over eight years. His work encompassed economic crime, drug enforcement, organized crime, criminal intelligence, immigration and customs, protective policing, including airport policing, national security (terrorism, sabotage, official secrets), foreign services and Interpol. Mr. Jensen has worked since 2000 as an Associate with Deloitte & Touche, LLP on a part-time basis providing consulting services in relation to forensic investigations in the Financial Advisory Services sector. He previously served as Senior Vice President for the company from 1996 to 2000. He currently chairs the Board of Directors for the National White Collar Crime Centre of Canada, a not-for-profit organization working to facilitate public police and private sector cooperation. Mr. Jensen was Chair of the Police Services Board in 2007 and 2008. For the past three years he has also served as a Director of the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards. He chairs the Board’s Human Resources Committee and is a member of the Finance & Audit Committee.
Back to Top
|
Jim MacEwen
 |
During his 35 years with the Federal Government, Jim worked in various departments and finished his career as Director of Priority Administration at the Public Service Commission in Ottawa. He has an extensive background in labour relations, mediation and arbitration. Mr. MacEwen previously served on the Ottawa Police Services Board from 2001 to 2005 as a provincial appointee, and is a past Vice-President of the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards. He currently serves on the Ontario Police Arbitration Commission, and is a member of the Ottawa Board’s Policy & Governance Committee and Complaints Committee. He has served as Vice Chair of the Board for the past two years. Jim is a resident of Orléans.
Back to Top
|
Eli El-Chantiry
 |
Eli El-Chantiry was elected to City Council in November 2003. He is the proprietor of the Lighthouse Restaurant in Constance Bay and is well known throughout West Carleton for his extensive community involvement. He is committed to working with area residents and businesses to help build West Carleton's future in the New City. Eli is the second oldest of 6 children. Raised on his family’s farm in Lebanon, he came to Canada when he was 18 years old to begin a new life. He met his wife, Maha, in Ottawa and they were married 24 years ago. He has been on the Board of Directors for the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre and worked with a number of local groups who need help, including local Community Centres, local Churches, the Legion and Seniors Groups. Eli was recognized for his efforts when his community awarded him the West Carleton Citizen of the Year for 2001. Receiving this prestigious award during the U.N. International Year of the Volunteer is one of Eli's proudest accomplishments. Councillor El-Chantiry is a member of the City’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee, the Long Range Financial Plan Sub-Committee, the Member Services Sub-Committee, the Emergency and Protective Services Committee, Transit and Infrastructure Services Standing Committee, the Carp Business Improvement Association, Health and Social Services Advisory Committee, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority and the Taxi Advisory Committee. He formerly served on the Police Services Board from 2003 – 2006 and was Chair of the Board from October 2005 to December 2006.
Back to Top
|
Maria McRae
 |
A lawyer, Councillor McRae was re-elected in 2006 to represent River Ward on Ottawa City Council. River Ward is home to over 49,000 residents living in Carleton Heights, Carlington, Central Park, Hunt Club, Quinterra/Riverwood, Ridgemont, Riverside Park and Uplands on the Rideau. Councillor McRae is Chair of the City's Transportation Committee and is a member of the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee, Transit Committee and the License Committee. She also represents City Council as a member the Ottawa Tourism and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. In 2002 Maria was honoured to receive the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for exemplary community service. She was also the valedictorian of Leadership Ottawa in 2002, where she gained an in depth awareness of the many issues facing communities in Ottawa. Born and raised in Sudbury, Maria has an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Laurentian University and a Law degree from the University of Western Ontario and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. She and her husband Paul, who works in the high tech sector, live in the Hunt Club community. Councillor McRae chairs the Board's Finance & Audit Committee.
Back to Top
|
Bob Monette
 |
In November 2006, the voters of Orléans Ward selected Bob Monette to represent them at City Hall for a second term. In addition to serving on the Police Services Board, Councillor Monette was appointed by his colleagues to serve on the Planning and Environment Committee, Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee, Central Canada Exhibition Association (CCEA) and Heart of Orléans BIA. No stranger to municipal politics, Bob first joined political life in 1985 when he served on Cumberland City Council for six years. While on Cumberland Council, Bob served on many committees, including Recreation and Conservation Lands, Industrial and Economic Development, Planning, and Health and Related Services. Councillor Monette has also volunteered his time in the community including Initial Chair and founding member of the Cumberland Community Resource Centre; Fundraising Manager, Ottawa Arthritis Society; former treasurer, Queenswood Heights Neighbourhood Watch Association; Director, Queenswood Heights Community Association, Observer, Fallingbrook Community Association; and member of East-end President’s Council. Councillor Monette also serves on the Police Services Board’s Complaints Committee and Human Resources Committee. Bob, his wife Pat, and their three children have been residents of Queenswood Heights in Orléans for more than 27 years.
Back to Top
|
|
