Erick Ambtman
They are women, visible minorities, sexual minority, multi-lingual and multi-faceted professionals who shield Edmonton City Council from political interference in policing Edmonton, and provides citizen oversight to the Edmonton Police Service – Edmonton Police Commission.
This month, the Edmonton Police Commission welcomes four new commissioners to help in the governance of the Edmonton Police Service. They are two men and two women, bringing the total number of the commissioners appointed by the City to nine. Two City Councillors; Councillor Sarah Hamilton, and Councillor Scott McKeen, were also appointed to the Commission. The new Chair is Tim O’Brien, Vice Chair Micki Ruth and the four new commissioners include Erick Ambtman, Janet-Sue Hamilton, Aneela Hussainaly, and John McDougall. Laurie Hawn, John Lilley, and Karen MacKenzie makeup the rest.
Erick Ambtman is a champion in the immigrant and multicultural communities as the Executive Director at Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers. A London School of Economics and Political Science trained economist, he works as an Economist for the City of Edmonton before taking over at the Mennonite Centre for Newcomers. He brings a wealth of multicultural and immigrant perspectives to the commission.
John McDougall describes himself as a soldier, Physician Assistant (PA), human, gay, LBGTQ Advisor to the Army of the West. He certainly brings some valuable sexual minority issues to the table.
Aneela Hussainaly brings some solid management skills and talents to the Police Commission. She is a management consultant with over ten years of experience leading and advising clients through significant business transformation endeavours in the areas of corporate strategy, organizational design and change management, operations and project management, business process optimization, customer experience, and major technological implementations. She earned her undergraduate degree in Engineering from the University of Alberta and completed a Masters in Business Administration from Queen’s University.
A proven champion of indigenous issues, Janet-Sue Hamilton, long-time warden of the Edmonton Institution for Women, brings a very important perspective on indigenous issues to the commission.
Although not new to the Commission, Vice Chair Micki Ruth is fluent in Swahili. Janet-Sue Hamilton is of metis heritage. This exhibition of diversity on the Edmonton Police Commission is good for police governance in Edmonton, a position shared with Diversity Magazine by former Police Commissioner, Keli Tamaklo, (pictured below) of Ghanaian heritage, “…this is a great step on the path of the commission…”.
In the phone conversation, Keli shared that he once met a group of people of African descent together with Vice Chair Micki Ruth, they burst in to Swahili, and he felt like an outsider as his Swahili is nonexistent.
You certainly know of Edmonton Police Service or better still, EPS, or just call them police as we all do. Do you know of the Edmonton Police Commission?
Simply, Edmonton Police Commission is the governance board of Edmonton Police Service with the Police Chief as its executive director or CEO, supported by police officers and civilian staff who deliver policing services in Edmonton with responsibilities to prevent crime, maintain social order, law enforcement and public safety.
In the words of Edmonton Police Commission, “…The Commission acts as a board of governors and is not allowed to become involved in day-to-day police operations or investigations. The Edmonton Police Commission has four main functions: overseeing the police service, responding to citizens’ concerns on policing matters, helping to develop the annual policing plan and budget, and building positive relationships with community partners”.
The Commission says its mission is different but complementary to that of the EPS. It is to increase public safety through independent governance and civilian oversight of the Edmonton Police Service. They both have different staff. The Edmonton Police Service is made up of the Chief of Police, police officers and civilian staff who deliver policing services in Edmonton. Their responsibilities include crime prevention, maintaining social order, law enforcement and public safety. The Commission is supported by a small contingent of staff with an Executive Director, Public Complaints Director, Public Complaints Director and Legal Counsel, Chief Internal Auditor, Audit Coordinator, Communications Contact, Executive Assistant and Administrative Assistant.
Through the Police Act (sections 28(1) and (2)), the Government of Alberta requires that the City establish a police commission, prescribe the rules governing its operations (Bylaw #14040), and appoint its members. The Act (section 31 (1)) requires that the Commission oversee the Police Service and to that end, it is expected to: 1. allocate the funds that are provided by Council; 2. establish policies providing for efficient and effective policing; 3. issue instructions, as necessary, to the Chief of Police in respect of the policies; and, 4. ensure that sufficient persons are employed for the purpose of carrying out the functions of the Police Service. Individual Commissioners are appointed by Council. As a Commission, they are responsible to Council as a corporate body within the parameters of the Police Act.
A public advertisement is made when a commissioner come to the end of his or her time on the Commission. The City collects all applications and shortlisted candidates are interviewed by 12 City Councillors and Mayor. Selected candidate becomes a police Commissioner.
