Civilian appointee resigns from ‘dehumanizing’ Hamilton police board

Hamilton police’s first civilian appointee, Dr. Anjali Menezes resigned dramatically at the start of Thursday’s board meeting.

Menezes served in this position for almost three years but cited persistent mistreatment from colleagues and a culture of exclusion in her resignation announcement.

In November 2023, Menezes, a family physician, was nominated by a committee of residents and councillors.

“Today nearly three years into my term on this board, it is with profound sadness and disappointment that I must announce my resignation as the citizen appointee of the Hamilton Police Services Board effective immediately,” she says.

Menezes shared several concerns about the board including what she says is “a failure” to address documented rises in hate crimes and extremism in the city.

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“I hoped I could bring both accountability and transparency to this role to better address the hate in our city and to work towards finding common ground by building bridges between the widening divides in our city,” she says.

“Not a single one of my colleagues or senior service officers have ever taken the time to even learn how to pronounce my name. They either continuously mispronounce it or they avoid using my name in any way. That is continuous dehumanizing behaviour that I’ve had to endure.”

Board Chair Don Robertson tells CHCH News that he was caught off guard by her resignation and declined comment until he could learn more about her concerns.

“The resignation of a board member appointed to strengthen community representation should prompt urgent reflection on how Hamilton’s institutions can better support diverse perspectives and create environments where community voices are valued and respected,” the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre says in a statement.

When asked if she blames the chief or the board chair, Menezes said she is not holding any individual accountable.

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“I urgently implore the solicitor general of Ontario to dissolve the Hamilton Police Services Board and appoint an administrator with haste,” Menezes says.

“Members of police service boards play an integral role in police governance across Ontario. If members of a police service board have grievances, there are processes in place for complaints to be investigated,” a spokesperson for the solicitor general says in a statement.

“We wish Dr. Menezes well in her future endeavours and thank her for her service as a member of the Hamilton Police Services Board,” Hamilton police tell CHCH News in a text message.

The board did not address when it plans on appointing a new citizen member.

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