First civilian named police board chairman
Several members of the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners were sworn in at City Hall on Monday.
New chairman Richard Ahenakew was one of the appointees and he, like three other board members, is a civilian. In other words, four of the seven police commissioners are not politicians or cops, but Prince Albert community members.
This mix will help separate politics from policy-making said Police Chief Troy Cooper, “They represent the voice of the community and they make decisions for the right reasons, based on their citizenship and the fact that they’re part of the community, so for us to have citizens on the board is critical.”
Previously, the board was comprised of five members with the mayor serving as chair. Richard Ahenakew, the general manager of the Northern Lights Casino, shares Cooper’s view of how this new board, with a heavy civilian presence, will benefit the community.