Edmonton Police Commission Chair John McDougall has resigned following widespread criticism of his plan to serve the remainder of his term while living abroad.
McDougall announced his immediate resignation Tuesday, ending his seven-year tenure.
“It is clear that my residency would be an unwelcome distraction from the important work of the Commission, which is not fair to the citizens who rely on us to provide governance and oversight of the Edmonton Police Service,” said McDougall.
The backlash began after McDougall revealed last week that he planned to move to Portugal while continuing to serve as a commissioner. Despite announcing his time as chair of the commission would end on Dec. 31, 2024, he said he planned to remain a commissioner until the end of his term in Dec. 2026.
“I can assure Edmonton that my continued service adheres to all rules regarding my new accommodation, as there are no residency requirements for commissioners appointed by the City of Edmonton or the Government of Alberta,” said McDougall. “To be clear, residency requirements are not stipulated in the Police Act or the City’s Police Commission Bylaw.”
He added that as a longtime resident of Edmonton and Alberta, his ties to the community would not disappear by living abroad. He said he would not be the first member of the commission to live abroad.
The Edmonton Police Commission’s website says that its commissioners and staff “live and work in our community and represent all Edmontonians on policing matters.”
Commissioners are appointed by the City of Edmonton and the Government of Alberta for terms of two and three years, respectively.
Minister of Public Safety Mike Ellis told True North that McDougall remains a resident of Edmonton. However, once he moved permanently in 2025, it was expected that he would step down.
McDougall’s initial announcement was met with severe backlash.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi suggested that McDougall was exploiting a loophole in the residency requirements during an interview with a local journalist.
Sohi said that the residency requirements were created to accommodate exceptional circumstances, such as family emergencies or moving temporarily for work, not to accommodate someone moving away permanently while remaining on the commission.
“(The) public expects commission members to engage with them in a meaningful way. That is not possible when someone is not physically present in the community permanently,” said Sohi.
Tim Cartmell, who plans to run for mayor of Edmonton next year, alluded that he may work to change the residency requirements.
“It’s critical that the folks who are representing our city, especially when it comes to safety and security, are local and acutely aware of the issues and opportunities at the ground level,” said Cartmell. “We need to set these expectations going forward and I’ll be working with our partners to communicate that.”
McDougall said that despite the backlash resulting in his resignation, he leaves the commission with his head held high and a heart full of gratitude.
McDougall resigned less than a month after Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee retired from the Edmonton Police Service.