Amherstburg's Police Services Board meets for an emergency meeting Thursday afternoon in response to an investigation into the Windsor Police Service.
The Ontario Civilian Police Commission is investigating a list of allegations including nepotism, unfair promotion practices, interference in legal proceedings, and whether a toxic workplace has flourished under the current leadership. The complaints were made between January of this year and April.
Typically, the commission keeps such investigations confidential, however, the complaints came at a time when it was evaluating a proposal to have the Windsor Police Service take over policing in Amherstburg. A public hearing into the proposal is planned for June 26 at the Libro Credit Union Centre.
Mayor Aldo DiCarlo says he found out about the investigation Wednesday.
He is trying to organize an emergency town council meeting ahead of the 5pm police services board meeting.
"I can't say if there's validity to the complaints one way or the other, but they are serious allegations, and therefore, I think its something the Town of Amherstburg has to consider now," he says.
DiCarlo says the town is working within a tight time frame. He says it has until tomorrow to respond to the investigation and decide if it will continue with the proposal.
"I guess the biggest thing that has taken me back is the last minute notice from the OCPC," says DiCarlo. "That really didn't give us much more than a day to try and figure out what we do and so, that more than anything has got me a little upset."