Police presence at school board meeting for 'public safety'

While, in the past, plainclothes police officers have occasionally attended municipal council meetings poised to address contentious matters in order to keep the peace, it was quite an escalation in response, according to one witness who was at the Near North District School Board office on Tuesday and observed the heavy presence of the North Bay Police Service.

While two uniformed police officers sat in on the meeting itself, a drone was deployed above the area while at least two police cruisers were stationed nearby. The witness counted at least half a dozen uniformed officers in the vicinity.

See related: Brown brings Chippewa concerns to school board. Police officers also on hand

Tuesday's meeting included the presentation to the board of trustees of a petition demanding reconsideration of the renaming of Chippewa Secondary School.

See also: 'Positive' says Brown about reaction to his Chippewa presentation

Spokesperson David Woolley tells BayToday, "The North Bay Police Service was aware of information circulating online concerning a potential protest at a Near North District School Board meeting. 

"We had officers present at the meeting in order to ensure public safety and that any potential protest was done lawfully. In this instance, there ended up being no protest and no issues endangering public safety."

Asked if NNDSB had requested the police presence or presented evidence of a threat, Woolley responded, "NBPS does not release information about individuals who provide information to police. The Near North District School Board was aware that members of the North Bay Police Service would be present at the meeting."

See: 'Unacceptable' Chippewa Raiders name must go — school board

Board Chair Erika Lougheed, as the front-facing spokesperson for the trustees has faced considerable backlash and online vitriol over her role in the decision to move forward with the renaming of the local high school.

BayToday asked Woolley if any threats were made against a specific person, such as Lougheed or the other trustees. He responded, "We will not be releasing information about any individuals who may or may not have been specifically targeted."

As far as the drone, Woolley notes in 2022, the North Bay Police Service purchased several drones for police use and multiple members of the police service completed comprehensive drone pilot training. With the addition of this new tool, there will be more situations in which police utilize drones, including in instances where a drone can enhance our ability to monitor an event."

A request for comment on the police presence at Tuesday's meeting was not returned by the Near North District School Board.

Asked if NBPS will continue to attend the NNDSB meetings until the Chippewa renaming issue is resolved, Woolley confirms NBPS "will continue to monitor the situation and, if required, police will be deployed to future events."