Archive

Former Orangeville mayor found to have violated Police Services Board Code of Conduct  

February 2, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

An investigation by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) into the conduct of former Orangeville Mayor Sandy Brown while he sat on the town’s police services board has concluded.  

The investigation, which centred around Facebook posts made by Brown, found he violated six sections of the Code of Conduct under the Police Services Act. The OCPC determined that he is unsuited to be a member of a police service board in Ontario because of the violations. An investigation would be launched if he sat on one in the future. 

“The [Orangeville police service] board has received the OCPC decision and is pleased that this matter is now resolved,” said Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor, who sits on the Police Services Board. 

Brown says the OCPC’s penalty is irrelevant since he isn’t currently a member of a police service board and doesn’t plan on becoming one. He stepped down from the local Police Services Board on March 25, 2021 and was replaced by Andy Macintosh, who served as deputy mayor of Orangeville at that time.

Brown said he left the police service board when his relationship with others on it deteriorated.

He told the Citizen a significant source of tension on the police service board was his support for the transition from the Orangeville Police Service (OPS) to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

This was the central platform that Brown ran on when he was elected as mayor in the 2018 municipal election, but this view wasn’t shared by others who sat on the police service board.   

In the lead-up to his election and tenure as mayor, Brown spoke out in opposition to the Orangeville Police Service, claiming it was one of the most poorly managed police services in Ontario. He said he also made comments, which he still considers to be true, about former OPS officer Stephen Fisher’s trial and taxpayer money being wasted. 

His passion for the issue, he says, is what led him to make posts on Facebook that violated several parts of the Police Services Act. 

Brown said he made these statements as mayor, in defence of the tax dollar, not as a police service board member. But wearing both hats, he can see where the problem lies. 

“If I’m not supposed to speak negatively, as a Police Service Board member, about the police service, I guess that’s the crux of the issue,” he told the Citizen.

But Brown said he wouldn’t have handled the situation differently if he could go back.

“I think some of that stuff needed to be said,” he noted. “I was upset about the financial ramifications of decisions that were made and on behalf of the taxpayer of Orangeville, I made those statements.”

In the end, the OPS transitioned to OPP, which was the former mayor’s goal. 

“There’s some shrapnel wounds that had been taken,” said Brown. “There’s some people that don’t like what was said, but the war was won.”

Brown said the investigation launched into his conduct was initiated by OPS supporters looking to “muzzle” him. 

Concerning the investigation, the OCPC found Mayor Brown guilty of violating Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 of O. Reg. 421/97 made under the Police Services Act – Members of Police Services Boards – Code of Conduct.

These violations include: 

• Not keeping information confidential that was disclosed or discussed at a meeting of the police services board that was closed to the public;
• Purporting to speak on behalf of the board without authorization and expressing disagreement with a decision of the board without making clear that he’s expressing a personal opinion;
• Not discharging duties loyally, faithfully, impartially and according to the Police Services Act, any other Act and any regulation, rule or by-law, as provided in their oath or affirmation of office;
• Failing to uphold the letter and spirit of the Code of Conduct and discharge his duties in a manner that will inspire public confidence in the abilities and integrity of the board; and
• Engaging in conduct that would discredit or compromise the integrity of the board or the police force.

Brown told the Citizen, reading the OCPC’s report, some of the online posts that the comission says violated the Police Services Act were misinterpreted. 

“People want to interpret it in such a way but it wasn’t meant that way,” he remarked. “But it is what it is and my comeuppance is I’m not allowed to sit on the Police Service Board in the future.”

Brown added, “I resigned when the relationship between myself and the others on the Police Service Board broke down… There was going to be no kissing and making up with that group that was on the Police Service Board, so it didn’t make any sense for me to hang around and stir it up.”

In the end, through the OPP, Orangeville has an enhanced level of policing, more staff, and greater opportunities for officers to move up the ranks and further their careers, according to Brown.

“There’s so many more positives that have happened,” he said. “I’m glad it’s over. It was a difficult time to go through that but now the town is better served, and better policed and is in a better place.”

Readers Comments (0)