After a scathing independent review of a police investigation into the 2015 death of a Rainy River First Nation man, Indigenous leaders are calling for the resignation of the Chief of Police in Thunder Bay.
The body of Stacy DeBungee was found in the McIntyre River three years ago.
Julian Falconer is the lawyer representing the family and he says JP Levesque needs to step down.
Falconer says the probe is shocking, including evidence that police failed to protect the scene, failed to interview witnesses and failed to take pictures of where the incident occurred.
He says the litany goes on and on.
Falconer says all of this happened on Levesque’s watch and while these issues were being brought to his attention through an inquest.
He questions how one can run a police service this way and remain in place.
Falconer says the value of an Indigenous life in Thunder Bay is close to zero, if it’s based on how police investigate their deaths.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler stresses there has to be accountability for what happened in the probe and that starts at the top with the Police Chief.
Fiddler says people need to feel that the police are there to serve everyone fairly.
Rainy River First Nation Chief Robin McGuiness says police determined DeBungee’s death was not suspicious way too quickly.
McGuiness stresses it’s quite obvious that the investigation was riddled with mistakes, stressing anyone else would have already been removed from the job.
He calls Levesque “bulletproof”, adding police showed a complete lack of respect for Stacy DeBungee.
Brad DeBungee says he’s appreciative of band and council and their demands for a proper probe in the death of his brother.
He says the family is demanding answers, noting police didn’t do a proper job, stating that if they did their job right, they wouldn’t need someone to baby sit them
Brad DeBungee says all police aren’t bad, there are just a few of them, and those individuals are the ones that have to be held accountable.
