Glenn de caire – mackaycartoons

Tuesday December 22, 2015

December 21, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 22, 2015

De Caire’s resignation for Mac job surprises police board

In a move that shocked many, Hamilton police Chief Glenn De Caire announced he is leaving policing and taking on a new role as director of security and parking at McMaster University.

De Caire gave his bosses at the Hamilton Police Services Board just 15 minutes’ notice before he released the news via a two-page letter at 1 p.m. Friday.

“All the essential parts are in place,” De Caire wrote after several paragraphs describing the accomplishments of the service during his tenure.

The news came mere weeks after De Caire pursued and accepted a two-year extension to his controversial term as chief.

At a hastily called news conference Friday afternoon, police board chair and city councillor Lloyd Ferguson said he received the chief’s resignation “with great surprise and some regret.”

“The chief and I have worked very well together during my two years as chair,” Ferguson said as he praised the changes in budgeting and policing that have taken place during De Caire’s tenure.

“The singular most impressive program put in place by Chief De Caire is the Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team,” Ferguson said, referring to a joint police/St. Joseph’s hospital initiative that pairs a mental-health worker and constable on daily patrols.

Board member Terry Whitehead said Friday afternoon that “we had no idea” the chief was retiring.

“The chief maintained that he wanted another four years and wanted to keep the job,” he said. “There was no sign that was not sincere.”

At Friday’s news conference, De Caire explained that he had applied for the McMaster job before his board had committed on Nov. 19 to extending his term as chief. “I had no conflict (of interest).” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Graeme’s Gallery 2014: Hamilton

December 27, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

The tradition continues with a whole Spectator opinion page devoted to:

January 24, 2014

January 31, 2014

Coming tomorrow: Graeme’s Gallery, the special world edition…

Saturday, September 6, 2014

September 5, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, September 6, 2014

The Hulk is coming to Hamilton.

Lou Ferrigno, who starred in “The Incredible Hulk” TV series, will be smashing into the Hamilton police central station on King William Street, where Chief Glenn De Caire will swear him in as an honorary constable.

The event, at 11 a.m. on Oct. 3, will be followed by a barbecue to raise funds for Crime Stoppers of Hamilton.

Hamilton police said Ferrigno took notice of the Crime Stoppers Be a Hero campaign because it is the same slogan he uses to fight bullying on his own website. His honorary badge number will be 8477, representing Crime Stoppers’ phone number (TIPS).

Ferrigno will be here for the second annual Hamilton Comic Con event at the Hamilton Convention Centre on Oct. 4.

Ferrigno is expected to address the crowd at the police event. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Thursday June 12, 2014

June 12, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday June 12, 2014

Hamilton police Chief Glenn DeCaire wants to rescind his retirement notice.

The chief told CHML’s Bill Kelly this morning that he wants to stay on and will ask the police board to consider his request Monday.

According to the CHML report, he says members of the public have asked him to stay and there are a number of projects he has been working on that are almost complete and he wants to see through.

The Spectator’s Andrew Dreschel has previously reported that philanthropist Charles Juravinski and businessman Ron Foxcroft are lobbying police board members to let De Caire say on.

De Caire has refused to comment to the Spectator or explain why he told the board last September he didn’t want another term after his five-year contract expires Dec. 31, 2014. The divided board accepted his resignation in a 4-3 vote last December.

The board has already hired a headhunting firm to find a new chief, a contract with a $80,000 price tag. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Friday, September 20, 2013

September 19, 2013 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, September 20, 2013

Bratina wrestled with conflicting roles of mayor and police board chair

Bob Bratina says for more than three months he thought of the grieving family of police shooting victim Steve Mesic and felt conflicted.

The mayor in him wanted to reach out immediately to offer condolences. The Hamilton Police Services Board member in him wanted to follow Chief Glenn De Caire’s instructions to have no contact with them at all.

Bratina learned the chief had ignored his own advice by phoning Steve’s pregnant fiancée to offer his sympathies last week.

Monday, Steve’s loved ones packed an emotionally charged police board meeting demanding kindness from their mayor and chief.

After the meeting Bratina talked with his wife and advisers and reflected on his “responsibilities as the mayor.” He decided to resign from the board.

Just last month, Bratina was elected chair of the police board. Now he is the only Hamilton mayor in recent memory to not hold a seat on it.

“When tragedies occur within municipalities there’s an expectation that mayors will be responsive in ways that aid the healing process,” Bratina said at a hastily called news conference Wednesday. “However the advice I received as a member of the police board was to not make any statements or have any contacts with anyone connected to the investigation … My position as member and chair of the board interfered with my ability to meet the expectations of the community in responding to events.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)