Ottawa police oversight board gets 3 replacement provincial appointees

Three new provincial appointees to Ottawa's police oversight board wereannounced Friday, fully restoring the board'srosterafter former members wereousted, resignedin protest or amid scandal earlier this month.

The former three provincial members of the Ottawa Police Services Board resigned March2,following questions about reports that one of them, Robert Swaita, had attended the so-called Freedom Convoyprotest in downtown Ottawaas a supporter.

The Office of the Solicitor General announcedFriday thatSalim Fakirani,Peter Henschel andMichael Doucet are replacing them.

Fakirani is senior counsel with the Department of Justice and formerly worked with the Canadian Human Rights Commission;Henschel is aformer RCMP deputy commissioner;and Doucetserved as executive director of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, now known as National Security and Intelligence Review Agency.

The Ottawa Police Service waswidely criticized for its inaction during the early days of the weeks-long occupation that devastated downtown Ottawa businesses and disturbed residents, and the police services board was shaken up in its aftermath.

The criticismled to the resignation of former police chiefPeter Sloly. Then, the formersouthern Ontario police chief chosento replace him steppedaway from the jobafter two days, and former police board chair Diane Deans was ousted at a dramatic council meeting last month for her efforts to replace Sloly.

The two remaining councillorson the board thenresigned in protest of the politicking and criticism, while City of Ottawa appointee Sandy Smallwood resigned earlier that day,citing similar reasons.

Fakirani,Henscheland Doucetwill join interim board chair Eli El-Chantiry, Coun. Jeff Leiper, Coun. Cathy Curry and citizen appointee Suzanne Valiquet.

The board's next meeting will be held in person March 28 in council chambers at City Hall.