As the debate surrounding bail reform rages on in Canadian political circles, the London Police Services Board chair and police chief are having their say.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Police Services Board Chair Ali Chahbar and Chief Steve Williams said they wanted to “add our voice to the growing chorus across our country calling for legislative reform to the Criminal Code of Canada.”
“Reasonable and measured revisions to our bail process when dealing with violent repeat offenders and violent firearms crime is an important step that can help to address concerns regarding public safety in our communities,” their letter said.
Debate surrounding bail reform was sparked when OPP Constable Greg Pierzchala was shot and killed near Hagersville in December. Both of the accused in the case were out on bail.
On Parliament Hill, a motion to make changes to the bail system was voted down earlier this month.
However, Justice Minister David Lametti has said the government is open to changes, and that’s what Chahbar and Williams want to see.
“The City of London is the fastest growing municipality in the Province of Ontario. Like many other major urban centres across the country, we have experienced an increasing incidence of violent offenders released into our communities,” they wrote in their letter. “Regrettably, some of these repeat offenders charged with violent firearm crimes, aggravated intimate partner violence and hate based crimes, have engaged in similar violent behavior while on pre-trial release for the exact crimes for which they were charged in the first instance. While we are fully cognizant of the fact that we cannot completely eliminate these types of violent repeat offences from occurring, that does not mean that we, as a society, cannot take the requisite steps to mitigate them from happening.”
Any changes to the bail system would have to align with the charter, but Chahbar and Williams had suggestions.
“However, that does not mean that certain amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada, which serve to further protect the safety and security of the public, cannot be enacted – amendments which would serve to create a higher threshold for bail being granted for those individuals who are chronic, violent offenders who possess convictions for previous violent crimes and firearm offences,” they wrote.
“As Chief of Police for the London Police Service and Chair of the London Police Services Board, we are jointly calling for timely legislative reform to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to help address these issues. We join the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police as well as a growing number of Police Boards and Associations across the country calling for bail reform,” they added. “Protecting the safety of both the public and our frontline officers is of paramount importance. We are mourning the loss of fellow citizens and officers killed by violent repeat offenders who possessed previous convictions for firearms offences with increased regularity and frequency. These are preventable.”
The letter was also sent to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, as well as local Members of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos, Arielle Kayabaga, and Lindsay Mathyssen.
London Mayor Josh Morgan, who sits on the Police Services Board, also received the letter.
