Mayor Resigns From Police Commission

The mayor of Saint John has resigned his seat on the city’s police commission as he continues to call for police reform.

Don Darling announced his resignation from the Saint John Board of Police Commissioners in a blog post on Monday.

Darling said after struggling with the decision for some time, he no longer wants to have his comments “filtered or withheld” because of board governance rules.

“It is not appropriate for me, fair to the commission, or in the best interest of the community for my voice and suggestions to be restricted over the remaining 6 months of my term,” Darling wrote.

“This decision allows me the freedom to share observations, opinions and, most importantly, solutions to achieve necessary reforms to policing.”

Darling commended members of the police commission, who he said are “highly skilled in their expertise, committed to our community, and working through a complex governance model.”

The mayor outlined several areas for reform within the Saint John Police Force, which include more transparency with the public, and recognizing systemic racism in New Brunswick.

Darling said the “broken” relationship between the police union and management also needs to be redefined and balanced.

“I believe citizens of this city deserve to know what works and what needs to be improved in our operations,” he said. “Modernizing our police force to address current challenges, with refined approaches, should not be seen as a problem by anyone.”

Our newsroom has reached out to Darling and the Saint John Police Force for comment.

Effective immediately I am resigning my seat on the Saint John Police Commission. Here's why…

I just published Why Reforming the Police Force is Necessary. https://t.co/QZPxDSobjD

— Don Darling (@dondarlingSJ) December 7, 2020