MOOSE JAW — Moose Jaw’s Board of Police Commissioners has hired a new chief of police, who allegedly comes with some baggage from a previous posting in Alberta.
The board introduced Robert Davis during a ceremony in council chambers on July 28. Some dignitaries in attendance included Acting Chief Rick Johns, Moose Jaw North MLA Tim McLeod, other senior police executives and leadership from 15 Wing Airbase.
Davis — who took no questions from the media — gave a prepared statement and thanked the board for the opportunity. He also thanked Johns for the relationships he had developed throughout his career in Saskatchewan and the community.
Continuing, the new chief said he looked forward to working with the deputy chief and using the latter’s “incredibly valuable” connections when he began on Friday, Aug. 29.
“I want to reaffirm my commitment to the department to building new relationships and listening to the voices of the community,” Davis said. “I am also dedicated to working collaboratively to help ensure Moose Jaw remains a safe and welcoming place for all.”
Before his interview with the board, Davis said he toured the city to acquire a feel for it. He noted that it was “incredibly inspiring” to see “such incredible civic pride, incredible community spirit and a shared vision for continued growth and progress coming from the citizens and leadership” at city hall.
“I am both humbled and honoured to be given the opportunity to serve such a proud and vibrant city … ,” he added. “I am very excited about the upcoming move and to starting my duties and to calling Moose Jaw home … .”
Davis’ formal swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for September, which is when he is expected to take questions from reporters.
A news release from the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) says Davis has 34 years of policing experience, with his most recent posting as police chief in Brantford, Ont., where he served for 13 years. Furthermore, he is known for his commitment to community engagement, listening to concerns, identifying challenges and working to build safer communities.
Furthermore, the release said Davis is innovative, a forward-thinking leader, dedicated to “serving with integrity and transparency,” and committed to employee wellness and modern policing strategies.
Information from the Brantford Expositor news website shows he resigned from Brantford’s police service on June 21, 2024, after starting in 2019, and was “moving on to other opportunities where he will continue to positively impact public safety.”
Before working in Brantford, Davis was the police chief in Lethbridge, Alta., where he worked from January 2015 to September 2019, according to Global News. The news outlet reported that he pursued the chief’s position in the southern Ontario community because he is from that region.
Meanwhile, an article from the Expositor in February 2024 said Davis left Lethbridge under “a cloud,” as some blamed him for taking the police service to the brink of being decommissioned by the province. Furthermore, the head of the Lethbridge police union called his four-year tenure “a disaster” and a “morale crisis.”
Continuing, the Expositor article said more than “half of the Lethbridge officers responding to a police union survey said they thought Davis bullied officers and staff.” Also, the article reported that, in 2022, Davis said such complaints often come from groups resistant to change and that he wasn’t trying to have everyone “like” him.
During the ceremony, reporters asked about Davis’ time in Lethbridge and whether the board had considered the allegations.
Mayor James Murdock, the board chairman, said the board reviewed Davis’ history during the vetting process and discussed his history. Furthermore, while negative stories may follow people, there are also “very good ones” out there.
“Those communiqués were held (with) personnel from Lethbridge and we felt very comfortable with the feedback we were getting,” the mayor remarked.
During the ceremony, Commissioner Patrick Boyle discussed the four-month hiring process, saying the board wanted someone who had “the depth and breadth” of expertise, could collaborate and was committed to public service.
Continuing, Boyle said Davis stood out during the search process, particularly because of his “impressive expertise” and values of integrity, accountability, transparency and collaboration.
“We look forward to him being deeply committed with that purpose and passion (and) that sense of duty, not just to the police but to the people of Moose Jaw,” he added.
