THUNDER BAY — By year's end, the Thunder Bay Police Services Board hopes to be established in new quarters in the south core on Victoria Avenue.
It's part of an effort by the board to delineate itself as a body that's separate from both Thunder Bay Police and the City of Thunder Bay.
The board will also get a dedicated, part-time Secretary to the Board and an assistant to the secretary.
Chair Celina Reitberger said the changes are in keeping with the recommendations in Senator Murray Sinclair's report in December 2018.
"It was the wisdom of Senator Sinclair and the OIPRD (Office of the Independent Police Review Director) that this would be a good idea. We feel they're right about that and we want to strengthen the police services board, We think it needs to appear to be more independent. It's not the police service. It's not the city. It's a separate entity."
The board used to hold its meetings at Thunder Bay Police headquarters on Balmoral Street.
"It's not that comfortable going to the police station for some people," Reitberger said Tuesday in an interview at the board's meeting at city hall.
"We go to the city to ask for a budget. That's where we get our funding. We have the Mayor and we have all these situations. It makes it difficult," she said.
The board is spending between $750 and $1,000 a month for rent at its new location.
A Request for Proposals on the city's website outlines the scope of the requirements for the two administrative services positions.
"This is a very important job. It's going to require people who have a lot of expertise. It's a very specialized area," Reitberger said.
