Tides of change hopefully will cleanse the stench off Hamilton Police Services

Hamilton's police services board has taken the unexpected and somewhat surprising step of choosing an external candidate, Toronto police Staff Superintendent Glenn De Caire, to replace retiring police chief Brian Mullan. Some critics are wondering why one of the force's two deputy chiefs weren't promoted, while others say a new face and leadership is a good thing.-from The Hamilton Spectator, November 20,2009

In my opinion there isn't even a debate here the best candidate should fulfill the position ireespective of their current location. I don't think members of the HPS are good enough for a role as chief. They've been shown examples from Mullan that the police can break the law as they see fit. This has resulted in criminals being freed because the police violated constitutional rights. This has also resulted in innocent people losing everything (Michael Dixon) because their constitutional rights were trampled upon by HPS. The HPS have never been unable to deal with street criminals... But as far back as I can remember, they've been absolutely useless in dealing with the criminals in their own police force. Here's to the future, Chief De Caire please do your best to promote justice which is an inherent right given to us by our Constitution, not by the parts your predecessor saw fit to uphold in order to further his own political agenda.

If I may make one suggestion, much in the media has been made of the efforts the Chief has established in the Jane and Finch area of Toronto in trying to curb the gang and drug activity. Hamilton's Bartonville and surrounding area is a 4.3km forgotten area of crack houses, hookers, sleazy junk shops that area politicians and police have ignored, leaving; the few decent property owners and small businesses owners who care about bring decency back to an area that once was the home of some of the fiercest community pride this city has known, to defend for themselves. Please Mr. De Caire take a walking tour of the area and speak to the deli owner's and the working stiff's like myself who are willing too work for minimum wage to keep a modest home over his head and not take the cowards way out and live off our tax dollars. We need more undercover and uniformed beat cops, camera's and more police backed community and business organizations like ones formed on Ottawa and Stinston Streets.

In other positive moves Bernie Morelli is stepping down as chair of the Police Services Board hard on the heels of the board hiring the new chief of police. It seems right to extend that clean slate all the way to the PSB. New chief. New chair. The air hanging over city government already smells sweeter, it isn't ginger and spice but it's sure better than sh**.

Morelli is a passionate police supporter, maybe too so. Many times accusations of conflict of interest have risen because of the "brotherly" relationship between Morelli and Chief Brian Mullan. The PSB is a civilian board that oversees the chief. It sets the budget and the policy. It can also call for internal investigations when there are allegations of police wrongdoing, of which there have been a few during Morelli's iron fisted reign.

The Community Coalition Against Racism, which accused the police of systemic racism, has said Morelli needs to go. Others, citing the fact Morelli's son is a Hamilton cop and his brother was at one time also on the service, have cried conflict of interest and said he needs to go.

Bringing in De Caire a complete outsider is a stroke of genius, I applaud the oracle keepers who showed some insight, while everyone else was counting on passing the torch to another member of the old guard. For better or worse -- it does wipe the slate clean. De Caire has no affiliation with Hamilton. No friends, no enemies. Hopefully the board will see with the same clarity and pass the torch to someone looking to speak up and not sit idle and be dictated to.

Later,
Kenaz

Dhinsa case a bitter pill to swallow

The group of good ol' boys that make up the Hamilton Police Service board once again showed how incompetent they are.

The "Thin Blue Line" that protects Kevin Dhinsa should be replaced with a "Wailing Wall" of outrage from everyone -- women and real men who care about them, taxpayers, politicians and other police officers, every citizen of Hamilton who expect a transparent police accountability system, and a fair justice system. Those who believe that an Orwellian society only exists in fiction can think again.

Dhinsa, a Hamilton police sergeant, has been suspended with pay since late 2005 in accordance to the Police Services Act. That legislation, which governs Ontario's sworn officers, says until an officer is found guilty and all appeals are exhausted, they can be suspended from performing their duties. But they shall continue -- for weeks and months, even years -- to collect their pay cheques. They continue to accumulate sick days. Get raises. Have benefits.

Ontario police are the only law enforcement officers in Canada who must be suspended with pay. In all other jurisdictions, police acts give chiefs discretion to decide, case by case, whether to suspend with or without pay.

Dhinsa faced charges under the Police Services Act -- 24 counts of sexual harassment against 12 female co-workers. The charges were thrown out by a tribunal because charges were laid eight days after a six-month deadline had passed. Appeals failed, including one this week to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Dhinsa will get to to go back to work which could only poison the 'office' environment. How can anyone expect the same level of respect and trust between the Sergeant and those entrusted to his decision making that occurred before this fiasco?

Not the taxpayers are on the hook for $20,000 in police service legal costs as well as some of Dhinsa's costs. Definitely not the twelve women -- some of them Dhinsa's subordinates in the Hamilton police hierarchy and who risked colleagues' disbelief, criticism, even ostracism by complaining.

Neither the women nor Dhinsa had a chance to make their case, so it is not my stance to create a conspiracy theory about what should have or could have. My point is still the same as the one I made in my original post in 2007, one about perception. Someone quoted once "Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted" Perceptions are like jagged rocks in what is the murky waters that contain the life forces of Hamilton citizens.

The facts are, justice was denied to the women who courageously went on record with their complaints against Dhinsa. Many workplaces deal expiditiously with serious complaints, but police services have been notorious for their wall of silence. This affair sets Hamilton Police Service back by a significant measure.

Why were the police act charges filed eight days late? In a matter involving alleged serial harassment by a high-profile police officer, the expectation is that procedure would be scrupulously followed and required steps would be taken not just on time, but early.

The Hamilton Police Service and the Hamilton Police Services Board need to clear the air, be accountable for this failure of process, and put measures in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.

In Toronto, such measures have been suggested. The list of cops suspended with pay in recent years includes one convicted of murdering his girlfriend, another charged with sexually assaulting children, another accused of a bank robbery and one alleged to be a drug dealer. For Toronto Chief Bill Blair, it isn't about money. It's about public trust.

The act "affords a shield" for cops accused of serious offences, says Blair, who commands 6,000 officers and 2,500 civilian employees. At any given time, he has about 13 officers on paid suspension, each costing about $100,000 annually. While his service, he says, tries to be "open and transparent" about accused officers, the public assumes the chief has chosen to pay a suspended officer's salary. What Blair wants is discretion.

If an officer is accused of a serious crime unrelated to the performance of duty, he wants to suspend without pay. That decision, he says, could be reviewed by the police services board, the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services or by divisional court. If, however, an officer faces allegations related to their work, he can continue paying them. Officers need to be protected against false accusations and at risk of being charged with an offence. After all, cops use force and drive fast.

Blair took his concerns to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and it unanimously voted for an amendment to the Police Services Act. A similar resolution was passed by the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards, whose president at the time was Bernie Morelli, chair of the Hamilton Police Services Board.

Blair made another bold move. Two years ago, he began ordering all his suspended officers to sign in at their regular station at 9 a.m. from Monday to Friday and to sign out again at 5 p.m. It didn't matter if that officer lived far away or if it was otherwise inconvenient. Hamilton Chief Brian Mullan says he may follow Blair's lead and require twice-a-day reporting. Currently he has suspended officers sign in once or twice weekly.

The women involved deserve a full explanation and a formal apology better than the one given by Bernie Morelli, he chair of the Hamilton Police Services Board has apologized to the community, but he is not admitting fault. Without a proper airing, the smell of rot will linger a long time.

Kenaz

Dirty story of two new steel giants black reign in Hamilton

This is a new era- Hamilton councillor Bernie Morelli, who used to work as a senior manager at Dofasco.

And quite frankly, it's about time that ... (companies) started to spend some of their huge profits on speeding up their environmental necessities to improve air quality in this city.

December 2006

The ministry blamed Columbian, Dofasco (now ArcelorMittal Dofasco) and Stelco (now U.S. Steel Canada) for much of the carbon black(scroll to bottom of page for facts), coal, coke and soot found in samples collected from east Hamilton homes in the preceding year, but couldn't tie them to specific incidents.

October 31, 2007

U.S. Steel Corp. completed its acquisition of Stelco Inc., turning Canada's largest steelmaker into U.S. Steel Canada Inc. Hamilton-based Stelco was snapped up by the Pittsburgh-based company in a US$1.1-billion deal announced in August 2007.

June 07, 2008

The Ontario Environment Ministry is investigating reports of more sooty, black dust falling on east Hamilton, the latest in a string of such incidents over the last two years. As in past instances, officials point to Columbian Chemicals, U.S. Steel Canada and ArcelorMittal Dofasco as potential sources.

Jun 25, 2008

Columbian Chemicals is the target of an Environment Ministry investigation into the latest incident of black fallout over east Hamilton. Laboratory analysis revealed a significant amount of carbon black in samples taken from homes near the bayfront industrial area June 5-11, prompting the investigations and enforcement branch to focus on Columbian's Parkdale Avenue North plant. The same three that week, while denying they're to blame, sent $250 money orders by registered mail to 25 people who complained about the fallout on June 5, 6, 7 and 11. Their letter says it's possible hot, humid weather "prohibited particulate matter from dispersing normally."

July 04, 2008

The Ministry of the Environment, as it investigates whether Columbian Chemicals was the source of recent black fallout, is ordering the company to study whether its monitoring equipment is adequate to detect small releases of powdered carbon black into the air over east Hamilton.

July 05, 2008

A sudden, dramatic increase in black smoke from U.S. Steel Canada's Hamilton coke ovens earlier this year resulted in Environment Ministry orders that have already led to a sharp reduction in visible emissions. U.S. Steel Canada's manager of government and public relations, says emissions were visible for an average of 11 minutes a day in June, down from 42 minutes in February and 75 minutes in March, the months that prompted ministry action. The company said it will install electronic monitors to continuously measure opacity, or blackness, in place of a video system the ministry declared unacceptable.

July 14, 2008

Black dust bunnies falling from the sky. That's how one resident described the fallout from a large plume that blew over the city's North End. Commodore of the Hamilton Bay Sailing Club, said members had returned from sailing and were having a barbecue at their Pier 4 Park compound when the saw the large plume approaching from the east at sunset Friday. The sailors were just tucking into some vanilla ice cream. Ten minutes later, they looked around to find themselves and their ice cream covered in soot. U.S. Steel Canada, which took over Stelco Inc. last November, reported a one-minute smoke emission at 9:21 p.m. Friday that it said was caused by a problem with a blast furnace. The environment ministry has issued U.S. Steel with a compliance order following a sudden, dramatic increase in black smoke emissions earlier this year. The company's manager of government and public relations, contends visible emissions have been decreasing.

August 09, 2008

Though most of the crowd at Ivor Wynne was watching the Tiger- Cats trounce the Toronto Argonauts 45-21 Thursday night, many fans wondered where the ominous black cloud overhead came from. Now U.S. Steel Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment are working to find the cause of a blast furnace pressure release that sent a cloud of black particulate drifting over the stadium and northeast parts of the city. The ministry believes there are enough similarities between the incident Thursday night and others July 11 and July 31 to order U.S. Steel to provide a detailed report on the cause by Aug. 29 and recommendations on how to prevent them by Oct. 31.

August 14, 2008

ArcelorMittal Dofasco and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment are probing the cause of a black plume that came from a company smokestack late yesterday afternoon. The plume is being linked to what the ministry says was an "upset" in the company's No. 2 blast furnace, but what caused the upset still has to be determined. There had been three incidents in the past month from U.S. Steel Canada, which led the ministry to order the steelmaker, formerly Stelco, to provide a report on the cause and a plan on how to prevent the emissions by Oct. 31. Several months ago, ArcelorMittal was found to be the source of visible airborne emissions from its No. 2 blast furnace and melt shop. The company spent $300 million on maintenance, including enhancements in environmental areas.

August 15, 2008

A Hamilton councillor says industrial fallout incidents in the North End are too frequent and companies need to pony up cash from big profits to fix environmental problems faster. Ward 3 Councillor Bernie Morelli's comments come on the heels of two highly visible releases from ArcelorMittal Dofasco within 24 hours. On Wednesday, a black cloud rose from the blast furnace of the facility after it was restarted following a week-long shutdown. Yesterday, an iron-oxide cloud wafted out from the company around 3 p.m. The Ministry of the Environment said the release was somehow caused by molten iron going into a slag pit. The company said the incident was moisture-related and had to do with the same blast furnace. The release was the 11th incident between ArcelorMittal Dofasco and U.S. Steel Canada brought to public attention by the media. There have been five since July 11. The MOE said neither ArcelorMittal Dofasco nor U.S. Steel Canada has ever been convicted of any charge relating to black fallout emissions.

Since Feb. 7, area media has reported on seven releases from ArcelorMittal Dofasco.A spokesperson for the MOE, said the company is under investigation for two release incidents. The first was related to the beaching of iron, which resulted in a fallout along the Beach Strip in early 2007. The second is for failing to immediately notify the MOE of an incident in March.

Growing concern in Hamilton, and the number of fallouts, spurred the ministry to institute a 24-hour response procedure in the city's northeast in late 2006.

U.S. Steel Canada has also had several fallouts recently, with three clouds coming from the facility from July 11 to Aug. 7. The company also had a blast furnace release March 21. It has been ordered by the MOE to provide a report on the cause of the three latest incidents by Aug. 29 and recommendations on how to prevent them by Oct. 31.

If a company is convicted of failing to notify or having an adverse impact on air quality, it carries a minimum fine of $5,000 and a maximum of $4 million for a first offence.

August 16, 2008

Last week, a crowd at Ivor Wynne Stadium watched as a U.S. Steel Canada blast furnace belched out a black cloud. On Wednesday, another black cloud containing coal and iron ore emissions floated over the city's north end, one more product of a pressure release from an ArcelorMittal Dofasco blast furnace. And Thursday afternoon, two thick red clouds filled with iron oxide spewed in nearly as many hours in another release from ArcelorMittal Dofasco's blast furnace. ArcelorMittal Dofasco officials say the rain has contributed to the increased emissions. On Aug. 6, in an unprecedented move, the company shut down a blast furnace because of the impact the wet weather is having on operations.

The raw materials sitting in piles outside the plants -- mostly coal and iron ore -- soak up rainwater. This excess moisture is causing more volatile reactions when these materials are heated in the blast furnace to make iron, the principal component of steel. ArcelorMittal Dofasco shut down the blast furnace in a move that hasn't been made in the past quarter-century. A blast furnace being restarted can take 10 days to become fully operational again, resulting in higher emissions.

The MOE is reviewing how ArcelorMittal Dofasco stores and handles raw material, it would be difficult to cover the piles of raw materials to protect from the rain since they take up about 49 hectares. ArcelorMittal Dofasco has flown in company technical experts and they are trying to use material that's not exposed to rain in the furnace.

ArcelorMittal's spotty record elsewhere

March 09, 2008

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been investigating emissions from ArcelorMittal's steel mill in Cleveland and is trying to decide whether enforcement action is needed. The investigation focuses in part on one of two blast furnaces that operate on the east bank of the Cuyahoga River. In a blast furnace, iron ore, coke and limestone come together in a fiery mix to create molten iron. The iron is then shipped a short distance by rail car to a basic oxygen furnace where it's combined with metal scrap to create steel. Advocacy group Ohio Citizen Action filed a complaint about the blast furnace, known as C-5, with the EPA in Chicago last year. It claims former owner LTV Corp. nearly doubled the blast furnace's capacity during the 1980s without installing proper environmental controls.

The company's worldwide profits, $10.4 billion in 2007, and the personal wealth of Chief Executive Lakshmi Mittal, one of the richest men in the world, to suggest that paying for new and improved controls would be easy.

EPA probes air quality near ArcelorMittal's Cleveland mill full story

U.S. Steel's Problems the same elsewhere
November 14, 2007

PITTSBURGH -- It's black, it's grimy and it's coating everything in sight at the Mapleview Terrace housing development in Braddock.

The black soot is from the nearby Edgar Thompson plant. A spokesman for U.S. Steel said the particulate was released Tuesday, when they tried to restart a blast furnace that was down for repairs. Something went wrong and the furnace emitted large plumes of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the dust settled.

Black Soot Covers Houses, Cars In Braddock

In suburban Detroit, the cities of Ecorse and River Rouge have filed suits against U.S. Steel Corp., alleging pollution from one of the company's plants is harming the health of residents and eroding real estate values. A U.S. Steel spokesman says the company has spent millions to correct environmental problems it inherited when it took over the bankrupt plant in 2003.

Fact Sheet:

WHAT IS CARBON BLACK?

Carbon black is the general term used to describe a powdery commercial form of carbon. Carbon black is a lot like graphite.

Carbon black can form as an air-polluting particle when fuels (like gasoline, diesel fuel and coal) are not completely burned. These carbon black particles are often coated with other chemicals making them more hazardous than commercially produced pure carbon black. The particle coatings may include "polyaromatic hydrocarbons," also called PAHs.

HOW ARE PEOPLE EXPOSED TO CARBON BLACK?

Breathing: Most exposure to carbon black occurs when people breathe contaminated air. This type of exposure usually occurs in the workplace. However, outdoor air can sometimes contain traces due to its release by industries.

Drinking/Eating: Carbon black does not dissolve in water, so people are not likely to drink it in contaminated water.

Touching: Carbon black particles are heavy and drop quickly out of the air. The dust is a nuisance because it is black and sticky. It’s difficult to wipe off skin or other objects. Touching carbon black is not likely to cause serious health effects.

WILL EXPOSURE TO CARBON BLACK RESULT IN HARMFUL HEALTH EFFECTS?

Inhaling carbon black particles can irritate the lungs and cause coughing. Carbon black can also irritate the eyes, nose and throat.

When people are exposed to high levels of carbon black over many years, the particles may lodge deep in their lungs. If it stays in the lungs, the condition may lead to bronchitis and eventually to a chronic condition called "obstructive pulmonary disease."

Cancer: Animal studies suggest long-term exposure to very high doses of pure carbon black may increase a person's risk of cancer.

Carbon black that comes from incomplete burning of hydrocarbons is more likely to contain cancer causing chemicals than pure carbon black.

Reproductive Effects: There is no evidence that carbon black causes reproductive or developmental problems.

Other Organ Systems: The most likely effect of exposure to carbon black is lung disease.

Later, Kenaz

UPDATE:July 21,2009

U.S. Steel promised to employ an average 3,105 workers and increase production by 10 per cent at the former Stelco in exchange for Ottawa's approval of its $1.9-billion takeover, according to court documents filed by the federal government.
The federal government is taking U.S. Steel to court to force it to live up to those 2007 commitments, which Ottawa says were violated when the steel giant temporarily idled its Canadian plants and laid off workers.

http://www.thespec.com/article/603751

Chief Brian Mullan lies again

The families of Lucas Deane, Paul Haggerty and the entire community deserve to read today's report on how police botched the surrender of accused double-murderer Corey Rogers. In case you don't remember Lucas, 18, and his 19-year-old friend Paul Haggerty were stabbed to death outside a Barton Street bar in the early hours of Feb. 17. Two other young men were wounded. Within hours Hamilton police arrested Corey Rogers -- who had been named CrimeStoppers Most Wanted the previous month.

Deputy Chief Ken Leendertse must have sprained his wrist patting himself on the back and congratulating his officers for their "good police work." What he didn't say was that exactly one week before the homicides, Corey Rogers called 911, identified himself and said he wanted to turn himself in. Instead of doing their damn job and sending cops over immediately to make the high-risk arrest, the call-taker told Rogers he'd phoned at a bad time and suggested he walk to police headquarters and turn himself in.

Rogers obviously never showed up. Rogers wasn't arrested until he fell into the arms of cops who finally traced the phone call and waited outside his home until he came home. Not exactly the stuff Sherlock Holmes mysteries are made of.

Hamilton police say they are serious about transparency and regaining the public's trust and doing the right thing, then why are they trying to hide the report? The report was delivered today by Niagara police who conducted an impartial review at the request of Mullen, after the debacle. Instead of answers, we only get more questions and that isn't what Lucas Deane's grieving grandparents deserve.

It took ten weeks to get the report, one that both Mullan and board chair Bernie Morelli promised that when the report was ready, they would share it with the public. Morelli further promised the families and public a full accounting of what happened and said his intention is to release the entire report.

Mullan said he called for the external investigation because according to interview with The Spectator "There's an obligation to give a total and accurate depiction to the community as to what happened because the community is concerned" and "we have an obligation to ensure the families know exactly what happened in great detail."

What is Mullan hiding from the public, we deserve the whole report and not and edited one that seems most likely since Morelli has already ran to his lawyers to talk about censoring the report. Enough is enough, the corruption in Hamilton has to end.

Later,
Kenaz

Congradulations Drew Lee

The kid with the iron will and the one who had every citizen in Hamilton last summer full of emotion after he was brutally beaten in an unprovoked attack has returned to school. A remarkable achievement for Drew Lee, considering he had to be induced into a coma for 12 days at McMaster Children's Hospital and had casts on both legs because of his injuries from the Aug. 5 assault.

Also, congratulations to Detective Constable Daryl Reid, the detective oversaw the investigation into the attack and charged an 18-year-old man in December with 16 criminal offences, including aggravated assault. Reid has already received a Crime Stoppers award. He was presented with a police award by Chief Brian Mullan and police board chair Bernie Morelli.

He may walk with a limp and speak like someone who had a stroke, but something tells me he will prove the doctors wrong and some day walk again. Good luck.

Drew was on his way home when he was grabbed and pulled into a parking lot near Main Street East and Sherman Avenue South by a man just after he had parted from friends. Police say the attacker repeatedly kicked and stomped on the boy's head. An elderly woman saw the assault and screamed at the man and he eventually fled as Drew lay motionless in the lot. The scum remains in custody and is awaiting trial dates.

Later,
Kenaz

`This Thing of Ours` that is Hamilton Ward 3

Hamilton city council and the Mayors office continues to fumble their chances to help the city grow and attain new levels of prosperity and optimism. Instead they let it continue to decay with rampant pollution, poverty, corruption and scandal.

One of the biggest contributors to Hamilton's woes is Bernie Morelli, the head rat in the sewer that is the troubled and impoverished Ward 3. Lets look at Mr. Morelli`s apathetic record for each of the issues.

First a couple of maps of the most heavily populated Ward in the city and one of the most economically and socially diverse. Ward three runs from the industrial North end to the historic brick works and homes that line the escarpment in the South, East from the shopping opportunity rich Ottawa Street, West to the heath service centres on and near Wellington.



The first reaction of anyone driving down Barton Street is rightfully, to put blinders on as they pass the decades of neglect that hang off the eyesore drug dens, junk shops and bars that cater to crime. These black holes suck the life out of the jewels that passerby`s don't notice, the family owned Polish delis and restaurants, the Italian shoe and clothing stores that offer elegance on a budget and the myriad of other ethnic offerings. These don`t get the football fans stopping by or the people who are sick of the headaches of shopping downtown. Bernie Morelli says he supports the small business owner and the vision of a Ward that you can raise a child in, but you wouldn't know by the two to one percentage of vacant store fronts to business and the prostitutes hanging out in front of the children's library.

Bernie Morelli, who, has said he "supported" the work of the Good Shepherd. Whether his support is strictly by the purchase of a ticket to a fund raiser function or he actually visits these shelters on his own time and sees the need of this wonderful charities people is open for debate. The truth is the truly needy, the blue collar working poor don`t see a dime in aid that Morelli promises every election. Instead, every housing and financial program that once helped Ward 3 electors fix up their aging homes or afford day care so they could become a contributor to society has been scrapped. In turn when you try to communicate with Mr. Morelli you get a terse response from a secretary and a form letter saying he can`t help.

The councillors "influence" over the new mayor couldn`t have been highlighted better than how council and the mayor dealt with the harassment complaint made against Councillor Bernie Morelli. Even though the investigator concluded that Mr. Morelli had indeed harassed a city employee, council simply gave Mr. Morelli a get-out-of-jail-free card. A arrogate Mr. Morelli said he had nothing to apologize for and he justified his "passionate" and "assertive" actions on behalf of fighting for his constituents. I wonder if this constituent was a financial or moral contributor to Mr. Morelli.

Mr. Eisenberger, looking like a patsy, reluctant at even having to discuss the issue with the media, tried to wash his hands of it, saying it wasn't "my doing." Wishing the whole affair would just go away, a terse Mr. Eisenberger then fumbled around barely mounting an effort to defend city staff, who have had to sit on the sidelines fearful now of what will happen if they have a similar incident with a councillor.

Mr. Morelli agreed to apology with the tact of a fifth grader with his fingers crossed behind his back. The counselor turned face and the apology never materialized, and even had the gall and gumption to demand Stoney Creek councillor Dave Mitchell to apologize for a comment he made that called Mr. Morelli on the issue.

The story going around at City Hall sounds like a page ripped from a script of the Soprano`s. It goes something like this, Fred Eisenberger was sandbagged when he went along with the rest of council to let Bernie Morelli off the hook for allegedly harassing a city employee. According to the buzz, the mayor was given assurances that if he stayed onside, Morelli would, if not offer a full bore apology, at least express regret for the incident.

Rightly or wrongly, Eisenberger accepted the proffered half loaf of remorse and opted to invest his political capital into pushing for an integrity commissioner to monitor future council conduct. But when the voting was over, Morelli did the opposite of what was expected. He demanded an apology from the employee who levelled the accusation against him. And the only regret he expressed was for how the controversy had hurt him and his family. Morelli crossly denies the tale.

An ethical watchdog is sorely needed at City Hall to handle this kind of underhandedness. But don`t count on it, shady and squeaky clean councillors alike would easily go after the cost of the office as a means of getting in the way without being seen as obstructionist.

The Hamilton ethics Detective McGruff`s job would be to investigate a wide range of complaints against councillors, including mistreatment of staff, discreditable conduct to the public, using city resources for campaign purposes, disorderly behaviour at council meetings, receiving improper gifts or benefits and inappropriately using city resources.

My first choice for the job of laying the `Smackdown` in city chambers would be Joanna `Pitbull` Chapman, the little old lady from Dundas who went after illegal campaign donations given to Larry Di Ianni and other members of council with all the resolution of a dog on a bone.

As attractive as this snake charmer is, she'd be a hard sell among councillors who ultimately have to give their stamp of approval. She would be seen as too biased for the job. So how will the commissioner be chosen once council gives the green light? Staff is expected to recommend the normal hiring process.

That means the position likely will be advertised to a select group of friends. A drawn out application process will pursue. A selection committee or panel will make a recommendation based solely on a most favoured bases.

Who ever is given the post, the most important question is how much authority that person will be given. Because of loop holes in the amended Municipal Act, it's an open question whether council can invest an integrity commissioner with the power to actually order punishments, or will he or she merely be able to recommend a course of action for council to follow or not, as it pleases. In plain language, a lot of money and time will be wasted on an attempt by city council to shore up a sagging reputation. Money that Ward 3 could badly use.

Sources,
The Hamilton Spectator, The Hamilton Mountain News, The Dundas Star News and Raise the Hammer.

Later,
Kenaz

Re: 'Families enraged at police error' (Column, March 1)

I found this letter to the editor in Saturdays edition of the Spectator. It points out the many outrages mistakes the Hamilton Police have made recently. I've included links to my posts and others on the various subjects.

Let me see if I understand this.

A man police had identified as the most dangerous, most wanted man in the city for the month of January(Corey Rogers) allegedly calls 911 and offers himself to be picked up by police. He is told he should make his own way to the station. He never shows up and, less than two weeks later, is accused of murdering two teens. He's then picked up at his home by police, who pat themselves on the back, according to Deputy Chief Ken Leendertse,(backed up by Chief Mullan) for "good police work." No wonder the victim's grandfather accuses the police of murdering his grandson.

It's mind-boggling and unnerving.

What does it take to spur the police into action? Should the suspect on the phone have also provided a detailed description that he was wanted on charges for robbing and beating a man and leaving him a quadriplegic or for allegedly knocking a man unconscious in a bar fight?

This is the same police service that just recently bungled internal sexual harassment allegations against a senior officer, only to have the charges thrown out because they were filed eight days too late.

This is the same police service currently investigating another group of officers for allegedly drinking while on duty.

(*update of this story since this letter was posted)
***A Hamilton police detective, who was facing seven charges under the Police Services Act, has retired. The revelation came Friday, as a police hearing was to take place in regards to the allegations facing 30 year veteran Larry Larson.

Instead, a tribunal has dropped all seven charges including allegations of drinking on duty, ignoring a robbery call and lying to supervisors, since it no longer has jurisdiction over Larson.

Two other officers have pleaded guilty to lesser misconduct charges, and have had other chargs dropped, in connection with the same incident last April. Constable Jennifer Granatier has been fined three days pay for drinking on duty. Constable Charlene Moses, who pleaded guilty to going to the same home while on duty was fined two days pay.***

Is this supposed to inspire confidence in the delivery and competency of police services in Hamilton? Perhaps it's time for change. Perhaps police services board chair Bernie Morelli should either step down or start asking real questions of the police service under his charge. Hamilton residents expect a higher standard, not a police service apparently rife with incompetence and negligence.

Later,
Kenaz

Something stinks at city hall

Hamilton is a far cry from Scotland but city hall is sure beginning to resemble the dark underhanded world Shakespeare depicted in his classic Macbeth. To paraphrase "Something Wicked This Way Comes".

I called Mayor Fred Eisenberger "Fast Freddy" back when he was elected because I knew he won strictly on the voters apathy for the former mayor. He ran an election based on convenience. What ever the voter wanted to hear, Eisenberger was quick with the soothing talk that cured the burn left by a previous council that took and took until the coffers where bare.

Promises bound forth with the new mayor and newly elected and refreshed Hamilton council. So much for elevated transparency, morals and principles. Three city managers were fired after an independent investigation into a harassment complaint in the city licensing department. Yet, Council voted in a secret session last week to ignore a report's recommendation that Councillor Bernie Morelli receive sensitivity training as a result of his harassment of a city inspector two years ago.

Discipline, it seems is acceptable for city staff, it seems, but not for council colleagues. Councillors, hide behind a cloak of confidentiality. What happened? Where's the transparency? Where's the openness? Instead, voters are stuck with the dank smell of dare I say it oh so softly "corruption".

Eisenberger isn't cocky enough to pull off such a ruse. Eventually he will reveal the truth, like that of a modern day Rosencrantz & Guildenstern. And Counselor Morelli could be left with bloody hands.

Eisenberger, designated by council to speak on this issue, has already got his signals crossed with Morelli. The mayor gamely said the councillor "has indicated regret that the incident happened," but the councillor was unrepentant. "I regret this discomfort for me personally," he says.

Ominous warnings came after an operational review, "Heads will role" came the echoes. But it wasn't the dirty players it was the three scapegoat managers who where fired after an investigation. Morelli slipped off into the darkness, escaping the wrath of the "ghosts".

Morelli berated a city employee, which he does admit. If Morelli had a problem with how a city employee was doing his job, he should have taken it up with the appropriate supervisor in a professional manner. For a councillor to throw his weight and position around like that is an abuse of authority.

Morelli has convinced colleagues his actions weren't harassment, but he won't convince the public who have backbones and won't stand for this kind of nonsense.

Later,
Kenaz

Lack of evidence, lack of credibility

A couple of issues have arisen this week that I have to throw my two cents in about. Firstly, my support goes out to the three fired Managers within the City of Hamilton's Licencing Department. Licencing Director Tom Redmond, manager Susan McGrath and Co-ordinator Randy Charlton were fired last month in connection with the harassment of a taxi inspector by Councillor Bernie Morelli.

On Friday politicians voted not to reprimand Councillor Bernie Morelli, despite an independent investigator's finding that he indeed had harassed the taxi inspector and should recieve sensitivity training. The deceission was based on lack of evidence.

If the plump goose escaped the knife than its not right for these lambs to go to the slaughter either. They should be given their jobs back.

My second bone to pick is with the the Hamilton Police Service and their inability to get their act together when it comes to dealing with its own officers under the Police Services Act.

It is absolutely unacceptable that two recent police act cases have been lost on a timeline technicality. There is no excuse for not ensuring charges are laid within the allowed timeline or, if there is uncertainty, seeking the extensions permitted under the act.

Dropping the ball in this way, again, eats away at public confidence. This kind of sloppiness fuels public disrespect and cynicism. It also lends fuel to public perceptions that transgressions by police officers are not taken seriously enough and that police protect their own.

The most recent problem comes after 24 harassment-related charges against Sergeant Kevin Dhinsa were thrown out by a police tribunal because they were laid eight days late.

Twelve female Hamilton police employees potentially put their reputations and careers on the line by lodging complaints against Dhinsa. These women showed courage in complaining against one of their own. In return they where disrespected by Hamilton Police Association administrator Brad Boyce who showd lack of morals when he chose to characterize the Dhinsa decission as a "win". His guilt was not established. Neither was his innocence.

Unfortuately, the legal ring isn't the same as a boxing ring, these women do not get a rematch and a chance to rub the smug grin off their opponents face.

Chief Brian Mullan must get a firm handle on this problem because, as he has said before, the buck stops with him. If the people to whom Mullan delegates responsibilities too, don't clean up their acts than the good chief should be prepared to die by the sword of public trust.

Later,
Kenaz