Acting Chief Dan Taddeo of The Thunder Bay Police Service, participates in a board meeting on March 21, at the Valhallaa Inn and Conference Centre in Thunder Bay. In an e-mailed statement, Taddeo confirmed the resignation of in-house legal counsel, Holly Walbourne.David Jackson/The Globe and Mail
The in-house legal counsel for the Thunder Bay Police Service is resigning amid major changes to the beleaguered force’s leadership.
In an e-mailed statement, acting police chief Dan Taddeo said Holly Walbourne is returning to private practice and thanked her for her contributions, adding they look forward to maintaining a working relationship.
Her departure, effective April 30, follows that of former police chief Sylvie Hauth, who retired in January weeks before she was to face misconduct charges under the Police Services Act. Ms. Walbourne is leaving as the service welcomes incoming chief Darcy Fleury from the RCMP, who is expected to start mid-April.
The police force and board have been under intense scrutiny in recent years as repeated investigations have found evidence of systemic racism, incompetent police work and failure of the force to make any meaningful change to rebuild broken trust with the community, particularly with Indigenous people.
The board has been under the authority of a provincially appointed administrator since last year. Ontario lawyer Malcolm Mercer is overseeing the transition of a new board and the new police chief, until next March.
Ms. Walbourne was part of an investigation by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission last year for allegations she colluded with the former police chief and Deputy Chief Ryan Hughes in their responses to the commission leading up to its investigation. She was exonerated in that probe, which found evidence to support allegations of deceit and discreditable conduct against Ms. Hauth.
Ms. Walbourne is also named in a number of human-rights complaints alleging harassment and discrimination filed by a former board member, and former and active officers and civilians. Those complaints are continuing and include allegations that Ms. Walbourne harassed former board member Georjann Morriseau over an alleged police leak.
Ms. Walbourne didn’t respond for comment by press time.
Willow Fiddler