UPDATE: A spokesperson from the HRPD says that, contrary to our source, Chris McNeil is now on duty.
This article appeared under a different headline when originally published. The first paragraph below has been contradicted by official spokesperson, but none of the rest of the article
A source tells The Coast that deputy police chief Chris McNeil, who has been suspended pending an investigation, will not return to the Halifax Regional Police Department. The source says there have been two investigations into McNeil, one to determine if he violated the criminal code, the second to determine if he violated the Police Act; the criminal investigation is complete, but the Police Act investigation continues.
This is a long and involved tale, so follow the ball closely. First, the backdrop:
The McNeil investigations are related to a private security firm called Integrity Personnel Screening and Interviewing Consultants, which had been performing lie detector tests of recruits into the fire department. Reportedly, recruits were asked a range of questions, including offensive queries about their possible penchant for bestiality. The firm did other work for the police department as well, and it’s that other work that concerns us, as we’ll soon see.
Integrity was awarded the fire department work without having to go through a competitive bidding process. The company was co-owned by two police officers, Mark Hartlen and Darrell Gaudet, and another officer, Anthony McNeil, did work for the firm. Anthony McNeil is Chris McNeil’s brother.
After the no-bid contracts become public knowledge, Hartlen was demoted (curiously, no action was taken against Gaudet, who is now a watch commander with the department). Hartlen is contesting that demotion before the Police Complaints Commission, and I’m told that last November he gave testimony related to the Integrity contracts. It was at that time, I’m told, that McNeil gave testimony related to his brother’s work with the company, and it is that testimony which subsequently got Chris McNeil suspended pending the outcome of the on-going investigation.
Another source tells me that the investigation is looking at Anthony McNeil’s involvement, as an employee of Integrity, with an IP search meant to track down the origins of a racist newsletter spread in fire stations. Because that IP search was conducted improperly, the author of the newsletter could not be disciplined. Wrote one investigator:
Management was advised by the officer that without a warrant the internet provider would not release the address, and that the way the address had originally been obtained, it could not be used.
The suggestion here is that the IP search was illegal. If so, it is a serious breach of conduct by a police officer.
To recap: a racist incident in the fire department and a no-bid contract to a company owned by police officers appears to be related to not one, not two, not three, not four, but five different investigations into the city bureaucracy. I’d lose you if I detailed all of these, but the investigations are as follows:
- The investigation into fire department racism, conducted by Integrity.
- The investigation of the fire department investigation, conducted by Maureen Shebib, a former human rights commissioner hired by the city to look into fire department racism
- The investigation into the improper IP search, initiated by Hartlan’s testimony before the Police Complaints Commission
- The criminal investigation into Chris McNeil’s testimony before the Police Complaints Commission, conducted by the Halifax Regional Police Department
- The investigation into possible Police Act violations by McNeil, presumably conducted by the Police Complaints Commission, although I have not verified that
And today, all of this comes back in the news, first because we’re told of
Michael Tutton, a reporter with the Canadian Press, has been doing outstanding work dogging the Halifax Regional Police Department’s investigations. He has been bird-dogging the investigation of McNeil. Tutton writes:
In March, The Canadian Press applied under access to information legislation for records of Halifax police officers involved in a private lie-detector company, including records that indicate whether any officers were in breach of the police department’s rules on outside employment and whether discipline was meted out.
The police department rejected Tutton’s request, and Tutton appealed that decision to Dulcie McCallum, the province’s Freedom of Information officer. Acting with uncharacteristic speed, McCallum decided to immediately review the case, and asked the police department for the records so she could review them to determine if they were covered by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. But, with unprecedented chutzpah, the police refused to turn the documents over.
Make no mistake: this refusal to turn over documents to the review officer is affront to the entire freedom of information process. Democratic control of government is at stake. Continues Tutton:
Darce Fardy, the president of the Right to Know Coalition of Nova Scotia, said the police position could hinder McCallum’s ability to do her job.
Fardy, who was the province’s review officer for 11 years, said he was never refused the right to review documents, including confidential cabinet documents, to determine whether they were exempt under freedom of information legislation.
“I think the whole position of review officer will be compromised if all the relevant documents weren’t released to the review officer. That’s what the job is all about.”
And how are our elected officials reacting to the police department’s refusal to engage the law? With a big shrug.
“It’s an operational issue,” says mayor Peter Kelly, who sits on the Board of Police Commissioners. “ If the chief feels that there is a reason not to disclose, then there must be some ability (sic) to it.”
But as someone sitting on the Board of Police Commissions, isn’t it Kelly’s job to oversee and sometimes overturn the decisions of the management at the police department?
“Only if there’s a reason to do so, and I don’t see a reason to do so.”
Councillor Steve Streatch, who also sits on the Board of Police Commissioners, echoed Kelly’s opinion.
“We did discuss this at the police commission,” says Streatch. “ I am aware of the situation you’re referring to. I do support the decision of the chief; it’s within his purview to decide.”
Streatch wouldn’t give particulars, but acknowledged that the investigation involved Chris McNeil, and said it would be resolved “soon.”
Councillor Sue Uteck, who also sits on the Board of Police Commissioners, is out of the country and unavailable for comment.
This article appears in Aug 11-17, 2011.
This article makes no sense to me if the headline is not accurate as corrected by the ‘update’.
I suggest you check your sources before printing headlines such as this. It males this reader question the validity of the entire article. Shoddy!
Yawn..uninformed. Keep at it, you might actually get something right. Back to work.
Time after time this reporter is apologizing about inaccuracies in his stories. Checking and re-checking facts and finding alternative sources; I thought that was standard practice for reporters. This is either a rush to judgment or outright laziness.
Let me play devil’s advocate here…
Don’t you think it’s strange (OK, deeply weird) that McNeil’s return to work wouldn’t be publicized? There was plenty of reporting when he was initially suspended. Better yet – why didn’t Kelly or Streatch mention it when they spoke to Tim?
Something smells here, and it’s not Tim’s reporting.
The headline should reflect the update, otherwise it’s misleading.
“Time after time this reporter is apologizing about inaccuracies in his stories. Checking and re-checking facts and finding alternative sources; I thought that was standard practice for reporters. This is either a rush to judgment or outright laziness.”
Too easy to condemn Bousquet for this, instead of condemning the city for erecting such a wall of secrecy and hiding behind the standard, “it’s a personal matter”, or this doesn’t apply to us mentality, this city has much to hide, and mayor and council are willing partners by not challenging the status quo. Pull your heads out of your collective asses people. Don’t shoot the messenger. It appears that Tim Bousquet is not afraid to make mistakes, or acknowledge them. Do you see this city doing the same? As he points out this canadian press reporter has done a good job holding HRM’s feet to the fire on this matter, and for Tim that’s a bonus, because he appears to be the only reporter practicing true investigative reporting here. That’s what’s missing here in this city. Give the man a break and redirect your judgments where they should lie, on the lack of accountability and contempt that this city and it’s so called leader have for it’s taxpaying citizens.
“Something smells here, and it’s not Tim’s reporting.” Agreed
I am sure the money that is being wasted by this city, trying to keep the truth from being revealed on this and other issues is staggering. And that would be our money.
There should be a law against Tim Bousquet sticking up for Tim Bousquet in these posts
“There should be a law against Tim Bousquet sticking up for Tim Bousquet in these posts”
Did I miss something?
Some of you A**holes criticizing the reporter should care more about the deceit being practiced by our ‘holier than thou’ mayor and the police department. Peter Kelly is constantly where the stink is… the concert scandals, the WTCC problems, as the executor of that old lady’s will he ripped off the beneficiaries, conflict of interest with some piece of land that is in said will and he never stepped away when there was discussion at city hall about it, consistent problems where money has gone and now he and his cohort Streatch say there’s nothing wrong at the police department. AND voters remember Streatch is the one who ‘had Kelly’s back’ through this whole concert mess! The whole damn lot of devils should be gotten rid of… LOTS of STINK in Halifax beyond Kelly’s mess with the sewer system. The whole city has become KELLY’s SEWER!!
Is it true that Chris McNeil is the principal author of notorious By-Law A300 Respecting Animals that originally contained the requirement to license and collar cats and forbid them to poop on neighbor’s lawns, and also the by-law on nuisances where they hid the latter law??? If so, good riddance!
Agreed, mayorschagrin. Agreed. It all stinks. The harbour stank for years, and city hall stinks. Under Kelly the place runs like a band of thieving pirates, well-practiced in turning public service into a servile public. And I don’t know about Bosquet, but most local media reporters and their bosses are so dumb, they’d flunk an eye test.
This is a misleading headline and any first year journalism student would know better. If the Coast wants to maintain any credibility at all, it needs to print a RETRACTION and APOLOGY for yet another Tim Bousquet work of fiction. Maybe a lawsuit or two would wake you guys up! Where did you find this guy? Send him back!
The beastiality question on the lie detector tests still cracks me up. Seriously, what perverts do we have working for HRM? Only the best!
I recall reading an article in Frank mag. where the cops that spoke out were dancing in the streets that he was gone, the Herald is reporting that he has received a warm welcome back. LOL Cops looking after cops. This city will go to any extent to serve and protect, their own.
Well if there is an ongoing investigation with the Police Commission, then no release. When it’s over then release it. It’s that simple.
This is just the tip of the berg…have no doubt the NS Police Comm namely Tory groupie Nadine Cooper Mont, and the police dept is corrupt beyond measure in their visible allegiance with Peter Kelly, Mike Baker, Murray Scott….Martin Hershorn and most of the crown’s office —>why should they not be so pathological…you people allow it…you bash the people who try to educate you and just because you are too slow, too stupid, drink too much kool-aid, smoke too much crack, just changed the strings on your dueling banjos or had sniffed too much glue in grade 3, you rather deny that which is sitting on your dang face….
L, get you! The rally to have Peter Kelly Resigned revealed how much kool-aid drinking is a serious issue..Where were all these people for all the other crimes and issues that should have provoked more public outrage…..The police gang rape the constitutional rights of most people including those who report the corruption of coppers…the some of us are not the least bit confused that we should be more scared of our coppers in HRM than drug dealers…