Interim chief named in Prince Albert in wake of police scandal
Saskatoon Police Service superintendent Patrick Nogier was appointed as interim chief of police for Prince Albert Police Service, according to the city’s police board.
Former police Chief Jonathan Bergen resigned just hours after the release of a scathing investigation by the province’s police watchdog that said two officers in Prince Albert failed to adequately protect an infant boy who died last year.
The Public Complaints Commission Report said the two officers should face discipline.
In a final press conference, Bergen alluded to longstanding tension within the service, a “persistent and extraordinary assault” on his character and harassment of his family as a result of his decisions as chief.
A farewell video posted on the police service's social media was later taken down, with the head of communications complaining of harassment from within the organization. She later resigned and the police service denounced the comments.
Bergen’s replacement Nogier has been with the Saskatoon police for 30 years, according to a Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners news release.
“The Prince Albert Police Commission would like to welcome Patrick Nogier to the position of interim chief of the Prince Albert Police Service”, said board Chair Janet Carriere.
“We look forward to working together toward the change that is necessary to ensure a safe community that is confident in the brave men and women of our Service. The Board very much looks forward to working with someone as highly regarded in the Province as Patrick Nogier, to get us through this next period with a focus on the safety and wellbeing of all our community.”
Nogier will take the new role on Thursday until the board is able to find a permanent chief of police for the city, the release said.
He said his goal was to bring stability and harmony to the police force.
“It is my great honour and privilege to be named as the interim Chief of Police in Prince Albert. Together, we will begin a next chapter that I am confident will reflect renewed dedication, collaboration, and a shared vision of a safe and strong future.”
Nogier said he was committed to earning the trust of the Prince Albert community.
“I recognize that building trust is a journey that requires time, patience, and consistent effort. It is not a task that can be accomplished overnight” he said. “I ask for your partnership, your guidance, and your willingness to engage in constructive dialogue as we tackle this process together.”
The president of the Prince Albert Police Association said they were looking forward to working with Nogier.
“We know there will be many changes and some challenges, but we are looking forward to a bright future for the Service and the community,” constable Nolan Carter said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.