The Prince Albert Police Association has gone public after a second non-confidence vote was held earlier this month for Police Chief Jonathan Bergen. Late last week, the association issued a news release saying 95 per cent of members who voted do not have confidence in Bergen as Chief. That’s up from 71 per cent in July of 2020. According to the association, 92 of the group’s 102 members took part in the recent vote.

Police Association President, Josh Peterson said in the release that Bergen refuses to hear the opinions of others or engage in face-to-face communication with members of the service,” Peterson also commented on the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners saying they’re “not in tune with the realities in the police station.

Meanwhile, the Board of Police Commissioners issued a reply. Chair Darcy Sander says “It is an understatement to say that the Board as a whole is disappointed in Josh’s approach and comments.”

The vote was held prior to Bergen suspending two officers without pay, the two officers who are involved in the Tanner Brass case where the 13 month old boy died. Last month, officers responded to a Prince Albert home about a domestic dispute. Tanner Brass’s mom, Kyla Frenchman was then taken into custody. A few hours later, officers responded to the same home after receiving reports of a homicide. The father Kaij Brass has since been charged with second-degree murder.

First Nations leaders have since said the investigation was tarnished with racism as investigators believed Frenchman’s behaviour was alcohol-driven when they first arrived at the home, but the leaders say she was fleeing a domestic violence situation.

A meeting between the police association and the Board of Police Commissioners was set to take place today (Mon), although the two sides are now at a standstill as an agreement over the preconditions of the meeting could not be reached.