Negative memes behind recent police suspensions

Lethbridge Police Service has confirmed the five employees who have recently been suspended with pay are all police officers. Edmonton Police Service, who investigated the matter, meanwhile confirmed to Bridge City News that the suspensions are in fact due to some memes depicting the former administration in a negative light.  Edmonton police confirm that in December of last year the completed investigation was sent back to LPS for review and disposition.  

Now Alberta’s Justice Minister says he wants an action plan from our city’s police chief in order to restore public trust. The Chair of the Police Commission along with Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh met with Justice Minister Kaycee Madu this week to discuss the recent misconduct within our city’s police service. Bridge City New spoke with Police Commission Chair Rob van Spronsen who says the chief is making it clear there will be serious consequences to recent actions. 
“I think the focus has to be on making sure that we ensure that proper investigations are taking place – that there’s due process,” says van Spronsen. “That’s what the chief has eluded to, that’s his commitment to making sure that there’s a full investigation so that he has all the facts in front of him when he makes his decision regarding discipline. And he’s made it very clear too that where the investigation has indicated that there are members who have breached professional conduct that those members will be held accountable from those actions.”

Jeannette Rocher

Born in Puerto Rico, raised in Minnesota and Manitoba, Jeannette has had the opportunity to live in a variety of places including New York, Arizona, and Nevada. After completing college and a paid internship with CBC Winnipeg, Jeannette embarked on her journalism career by moving overseas to take a job on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. While overseas she covered stories in Fiji, Guam and Japan including the 2011 tsunami that hit Japan and its surrounding islands. She covered a mass shooting, an Earth quake, murder cases and other substantial court cases. In 2013 she moved to Alberta where she covered the devastating floods of High River and Medicine Hat for CTV News. She then went on to produce and host Go! Southern Alberta for Shaw TV. She now calls Miracle Channel home. In addition to reporting in the field, you can catch her anchoring daily weather reports, as well as longer interview segments on BCN, and the week-in-review show on BCN Weekends. 

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