Despite a three-week suspension and some questioning his capability to lead, ward 12 councillor Lloyd Ferguson was re-elected as Hamilton police service board chair. But not everyone will be pleased to see Ferguson return.

“By his own admission, is that he doesn’t understand the roles and responsabilities as board chair. To me that’s an admission that he’s not qualified to be the board chair of the Hamilton police service.” Matthew Green, ward 3 councillor.

During the holidays, the Ontario civilian police commission suspended Ferguson from attending board functions for three weeks. They found that he broke the board’s code of conduct when he made comments on CHML concerning a disciplinary hearing between Mathew Green and a Hamilton police officer.

Ferguson admits that he was wrong. “I shouldn’t have said the officer was doing his job because we don’t know that until we get that decision.”

But in terms of not understanding the job?

“I don’t agree with him, it’s that simple. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder towards me but he’s entitled to do that I don’t agree with it, it’s something he can do. But clearly I have the mandate back from the board today to re-serve, it’s a privileged.”

The board will have a lot on it’s plate including the opioid crisis and gun violence but some say there’s another issue that needs fixing. The community coalition against racism is looking for more representation from visible minorities on the police service board.