The Region of Queens will join the majority of municipalities in Nova Scotia when they follow recommendations from the Mass Casualty Commission and create a new Police Advisory Board.

Until earlier this spring, the Region of Queens was one of a small minority of municipalities who used council as the advisory board. That was when they received direction from the province that practice would no longer be acceptable, and they must strike a dedicated police board.

Mayor Darlene Norman explains how the new police board will operate.

“They’re to determine the objectives and goals respecting the policing services in our community which is Queens. They’re to ensure community needs and values are reflected and they’re [to] sort of act as a conduit between the community and the police,” said Norman.

After much discussion, council decided a seven-member advisory board chosen by council would best represent all of Queens. The board will be composed of three council members, three members from the community chosen by council, and one representative selected by Nova Scotia’s Minister of Justice.

Norman says trying to determine the eligibility requirements for board members is difficult as there are no qualifications set out in the Municipal Government Act.

“The question was asked; well, do they have to be a year-round resident? Do they have to be a taxpayer? Do they have to even live in our municipality? When you look at what's in the MGA there's no reference to any of that,” said Norman. “They could be from anywhere; they could simply have an interest.”

Norman says it’s important to put together an impartial group of people to serve on the board.

“On one hand you really don't want someone that's anti RCMP. You know, you don't want a 'down with government, down with the police, down with the establishment', that does not help,” said Norman. “On the flip side, you also don't want someone that thinks that, oh isn’t everything wonderful. And you know, you really need to find objective people who will come with no biases, nor will they come with any favouritisms -- that's the main thing. Now, trying to determine, how you find that, is challenging.”

Staff are working on a framework for the new police board which they will bring back for council’s consideration.

Council plans to select their three members in the next few weeks. The municipality will advertise for citizen volunteers in July with the goal of appointing them to the board in August.

If all goes to plan, the first Region of Queens Police Board meeting will be held in September.

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