Latest news with #ShahinMehdizadeh
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Lethbridge police chief's contract extended until 2029
Calgary Watch The Lethbridge Police Commission has announced Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh's contract as the city's top cop has been extended another four years to 2029.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Lethbridge Police Commission extends chief's contract until 2029
Lethbridge's police chief will stay on as the city's top cop for another four years. The Lethbridge Police Commission has announced Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh's contract has been extended until 2029. The commission says the chief has provided consistent leadership through a period of transition and change. The commission added that the extension of the contract comes at a time when the city's Crime Severity Index dropped 19 per cent compared to the year before. Mehdizadeh began his policing career with the RCMP in 1989 and has been with the LPS since 2020. The commission says his contract extension will help continue momentum in a positive direction in the years to come.
CTV News
11-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Lethbridge Police Service asking city council for more funding to buy, use body-worn cameras
The Lethbridge economic and finance standing policy committee approved a request for funding that will provide body-worn cameras by police officers. It's a step closer in the process to get body-worn cameras purchased and implemented for police officers in Lethbridge. Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh went before the city's economic and finance standing policy committee (SPC) Thursday, asking for $550,000 this year to purchase cameras and $914,000 next year to use them. If approved by council, funding will come from the city's municipal revenue stabilization reserve (MRSR). The SPC passed the recommendation, which will now go to a future city council meeting to be fully approved. At this time, no funding has been authorized. Lethbridge City Council, July 10, 2025 A Lethbridge municipal sub committee voted Wednesday to fund the use of body-worn cameras on Lethbridge police officers. (Photo: Karsen Marczuk, CTV Lethbridge) 'Use of technology is becoming more and more critical in our service delivery and insuring transparency and what we do every day,' said Mehdizadeh. 'Certainly, this is welcome news.' Mandatory In March 2023, the province announced that body-worn cameras would become mandatory for all police officers in Alberta by the end of next year. 'It's not just about the complaints against the officers, really, that's one element of what these cameras bring,' explained Mehdizadeh. 'But we know best evidence is what you capture on video, audio and all those other components that this technology will bring, which really heightens the way our officers investigate.' The cost of a camera is $490, DEMS licence is $1,540 and disclosure is $3,530 for a total cost of $5,560 annually. The SPC heard that 165 cameras would be needed for frontline officers. Mehdizadeh said the funding will also cover licencing and disclosure. To use the cameras after 2026, Mehdizadeh is asking that the additional funding be included in the city's 2027 and 2028-31 operating budget. If city council approves the recommendation, the city will have costs of about $725,000 annually for three years and nearly $1 million a year after the grant expires. A funding grant is available, but the city would cover 78 per cent of costs, while the province covers 22 per cent or $205,471 per year for three years. 'We would have wanted the province to contribute more financially and that doesn't mean they won't in the future,' said Noella Piquette, chair of the Lethbridge Police Commission. 'For right now, the sum that they provided we know, and they know, and the police service knows that it's not enough to support this, but we will find a way.' 'This is provincially mandated, and we will meet the request.'
Calgary Herald
17-06-2025
- Calgary Herald
Lethbridge Police Service Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh cleared of misconduct allegations
Article content Lethbridge's police chief was found not guilty Monday of two misconduct charges he faced over a lunch meeting he had with the service's chaplain more than four years ago. Article content Lethbridge Police Service Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh had been accused of two counts of misconduct, for violating a public health order by taking a member of the public out for lunch in March 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for denying he had done anything wrong when confronted about it. Article content Article content Article content Article content They had soup during a 20- to 30-minute lunch, a regular thank-you gesture from Mehdizadeh for the volunteer's work with Lethbridge police. They were masked and appropriately distanced, said Lethbridge's police chief. Article content Mehdizadeh had believed the chaplain was part of his cohort, but during a meeting several days later with senior management, Lethbridge's police chief said he learned he was wrong and apologized to senior officers, including Woods. Article content Article content On Monday, presiding officer Brett Carlson concluded that, on a balance of probabilities, the allegations against Mehdizadeh were not proven and found him not guilty. Article content Carlson determined the LPS chief did not intend to breach the public health order, provided an apology and the conduct was not repeated. Article content 'There was no evidence of malicious intent or meaningful moral culpability,' he said. 'A moment of carelessness or error in judgment does not, by itself, constitute discreditable conduct requiring discipline.' Article content 'I find that a dispassionate, reasonable person, fully apprised of the circumstances would conclude that the Chief did not do anything prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit on the reputation of the police service.'
CTV News
17-06-2025
- CTV News
‘Both humbled and grateful': Lethbridge police chief not guilty of misconduct
Lethbridge Police Service Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh has been found not guilty of misconduct An allegation of misconduct made against Lethbridge's top cop has been dismissed. Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh was found not guilty at a hearing on Monday. According to the Lethbridge Police Service, a former deputy chief alleged Mehdizadeh 'violated a public health order relating to cohorts during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking a civilian member out for lunch and denying culpability when he was confronted.' The civilian member was the police service's chaplain. Mehdizadeh took him out for lunch. An agreed statement of facts noted both were masked where required and properly socially distanced. It is also noted Mehdizadeh stated he believed the chaplain to be within his allowed cohort and apologized when it came to light he was not. At the hearing, presiding officer Brett Carlson provided reasoning for the not guilty verdict. 'There was no evidence of malicious intent or meaningful moral culpability,' he said. 'A moment of carelessness or error in judgment does not, by itself, constitute discreditable conduct requiring discipline.' Mehdizadeh said in a statement Monday he is 'both humbled and grateful.' He also said the allegation is part of a pattern of behaviour by his former deputy chief. 'Since leaving LPS in 2022, after a short period of time working together, the former deputy chief has made numerous allegations and complaints against me,' he said. 'None have been substantiated, and several have been dismissed outright as frivolous and vexatious.'
