External review of Calgary police workplace culture coming, commission says

The Calgary Police Commission says there will be an external review on the Calgary police workplace after recent allegations of a toxic culture made by a former employee.

The decision was announced during a commission meeting on Wednesday, and it comes after Angela Whitney, the former HR director at Calgary Police Service (CPS), blew the whistle on alleged sexual harassment and bullying within the force.

Commission Chair Shawn Cornett said Wednesday the time has come for a more fulsome evaluation on the issue and an outside expert will be brought in to conduct a review.

“The aim of this review will be to determine whether the work done so far is moving the workplace in the right direction,” she says. “What issues persist, and what needs to be done differently to further address bullying, harassment and discrimination.”

Cornett says the commission has been publicly tracking Calgary police workplace culture since 2011 through employee surveys. She says the commission found out that recommendations were not successfully implemented after a previous workplace review in 2013.

“While a lot of work has been done, we also know problems persist,” she says, saying the commission has not seen the desired change when it comes to harassment and gender-based bullying specifically.

Whitney appears before police commission for first time

Whitney appeared before the commission for the very first time on Wednesday after the external review was announced.

“I care deeply about this city,” she said. “By sharing my own experiences with toxicity and harassment as a high-ranking senior leader at the CPS, I hope to create that safe pathway for others to blow the whistle.”

In response to her recent allegations, police chief Mark Neufeld is seeking a permanent injunction against Whitney, which would stop her from making any more comments about her former workplace.

Neufeld claims Whitney has breached a confidentiality agreement and hasn’t said whether or not he will drop the lawsuit now that a review has been ordered.

“It depends what happens as we go forward,” he says. “It’s too early to say at this point.”

Lawyers for Whitney and Neufeld are expected to appear for their first court appearance on Thursday morning.