Diane Deans ousted as Ottawa Police Services Board chair

City council has voted in favour of immediately removing Diane Deans from her position as the chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB).

Following a vote of 15 to nine at a special council meeting on Wednesday, February 16, Deans was ousted from her position with Coun. Eli El-Chantiry recommended as the OPSB's new chair.

“I'm just actually gob-smacked that council, who have very little understanding of the very complex world of police, have decided to use this political ploy to second guess the people that serve on that board,” Deans said during the meeting. “I leave myself aside. But I have to say, for the members of the board that have given so much of their thought and their time and their knowledge-base to this board, what you are doing here tonight is just despicable.”

“You're going back to the 1950s,” says Deans in response to the motion calling for her removal from the OPSB. #ottnews @CityNewsOttawa

— Alex Goudge (@AlexGoudge) February 17, 2022

During the meeting, Coun. Mathieu Fleury said he doesn't question the amount of dedication Deans gave to the board or the city of Ottawa. But he said he's looking for stability and leadership, and he's afraid of entering an “extremely long weekend” without confidence.

“The plan will not change depending on who is sitting in different command,” Deans said. “The plan has been established; I can tell you I'm aware of what the plan is. The plan is in place. It will not change. … We all want the same thing. And I can tell you, that the board was asking over and over and over again for a plan.

“Now that we're probably about to be able to bring an end to this thing, or hopefully very soon, I'm sure that the people that want to sit in our seats are happy to take credit for the work that the board was doing with the senior command.”

Council also voted, 13 to 11, to not have Coun. Carol Anne Meehan replaced by Coun. Jan Harder. Meehan, however, chose to resign from her position instead.

However, council carried the motion to add past OPSB member Suzanne Valiquet to the board, replacing L.A. Sandy Smallwood who resigned.

On top of that, Coun. Jeff Leiper, who represents the urban ward of Kitchissippi, has been added to the board following Coun. Rawlson King's resignation. King cited a disagreement with the “mayor's vision” but said Deans was committed to listening despite difficult conversations.

The changes come just one day after former Ottawa Police Service chief Peter Sloly “mutually” agreed to step down after facing criticism for his handling of the trucker convoy protests currently occupying the city's downtown core.

“If we know anything about the structure inside Ottawa police right now, you know that the senior command is flying with one wing,” Deans said. “We have one of the senior deputies on suspension with pay and chief Sloly just left. We don't have a senior command.”