Bob Davidson (left) and Const. Duane Squires (right) held a press conference Thursday to address comments made by Coun. David Merrithew. (Danielle McCreadie)
The Saint John Police Association is calling for action against a city councillor, after he made “insulting” comments about police in a newspaper article.
David Merrithew was quoted calling police “greedy” and said they make too much money.
He also claimed four police officers were paid $200,000 each in 2018.
Const. Duane Squires says 1st class constables in Saint John actually make $94,627 annually.
He says Merrithew’s comments were hurtful and misleading.
“It’s a pretty disgusting feeling when you read in the paper about how greedy you are. We know what our members do day in and day out. We do a great job for the city of Saint John, and then we just get chastised by our elected officials,” Squires said during a press conference Thursday morning.
City Councillor David Merrithew has made very disgraceful comments in this article. How dare you say police and fire do not care about our city. You have an open invitation to come out with us it’s not all sunshine and rainbows #MentalHealth #Drugs #Weapons #Death #Hate #Crime https://t.co/F9YdXHcJEV pic.twitter.com/IXCrTst72h
— SJ Police Assoc (@sjpoliceassoc) November 1, 2019
Bob Davidson with the police association agrees, and says the comments also impact what residents think about police officers.
“You’re greedy, you’re this, you’re that. They’re derogatory statements that hurt the credibility of the police officers on the street trying to protect the citizens of Saint John,” he said.
Davidson says police comes under fire from city officials frequently, especially during budget consultations.
“It plays in people’s heads. It’s all negative, negative stuff, and our people are only human. When they see how they get no respect from the councillors or mayor, that’s very damaging and very dangerous,” he said.
Calling For Action
Squires says the association is calling for Merrithew to be removed as Chair of the Finance Committee.
“It’s very easy for Mr. Merrithew to sit behind his desk and send an email or have an interview with a reporter. His comments, I believe, are very self-serving. They have no merit, and there needs to be a repercussion for him speaking out this way,” he said.
Davidson doesn’t believe Merrithew is capable of holding the role anymore.
He explains police got retroactive pay in 2018 due to delayed negotiations in 2016 and 2017, which likely caused the inflated numbers.
“As a chair of a finance committee, we would like to think Mr. Merrithew is smart enough to realize the facts of that. That’s a deliberate attempt to distort figures,” he said.
He says Merrithew must face consequences for his actions, and the association is willing to go to the province for action if the city doesn’t do anything.
“If this council allows Councillor Merrithew as chair of that finance committee to make these unprofessional, outlandish, derogatory, damaging statements and leave them there, then we’ll have to go to the provincial government for relief,” he said.
Both Squires and Davidson see the comments as a tactic to influence the upcoming bargaining process.
“I don’t even think the ink is dry on our request to commence bargaining. We’re looking forward to it, but it doesn’t sound very positive right now. They’re (the city) are setting the tone early,” said Squires.
“This is all part of trying to condition cabinet to undermine the binding arbitration process,” said Davidson.
Both Merrithew and mayor Don Darling have not responded publicly to the association’s letter as of Thursday afternoon.
A full copy of the letter can be found online.
