Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld has filed a lawsuit against the service’s former director of human resources, Angela Whitney, over social media comments that allegedly threaten confidential information about the police service. Whitney served as the CPS human resources director from 2019 to 2021 and resigned following a medical leave of absence. Almost three years later, she began raising allegations of bullying and harassment during her time at CPS on social media. Neufeld’s lawsuit claims that Whitney’s comments are causing irreparable harm to the CPS by disclosing confidential information about employees involved in HR processes, which could have a chilling effect on employees’ trust and participation in the HR process.
Neufeld is seeking a permanent injunction to prevent Whitney from making any further inappropriate posts or interviews related to the matter and making her pay for the legal costs of the civil action. The lawsuit highlights several social media posts from Whitney, including an open letter to Calgarians with her allegations and comments made in a Global News interview. Although Whitney was not bound to a non-disclosure agreement when she resigned from CPS, the lawsuit alleges that she signed a memorandum of agreement with standard confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses due to the sensitive nature of the information she had access to during her time at the service. After CPS demanded that Whitney remove her posts and comments, the lawsuit was filed.
In response to the lawsuit, the Calgary Police Service stated that it is not trying to prevent Whitney from sharing her concerns, experiences, or perceptions of CPS with the Calgary Police Commission. The statement emphasized the importance of protecting the confidentiality and privacy of those involved in HR processes and ensuring that others can raise concerns safely without their information being shared publicly. The CPS acknowledged the workplace culture challenges it is facing and is working to address decades of systemic issues within the culture of policing. Whitney plans to speak to the Calgary Police Commission to bring attention to systemic cultural problems and call for accountability from the Minister of Public Safety and the province.
Doug King, a professor of Justice Studies at Mount Royal University, emphasized the need for transparency as the case progresses. King noted that Neufeld inherited workplace culture and sexual harassment issues when he became chief and has been working to make internal changes. He believes Neufeld’s reputation is at risk due to Whitney’s allegations and supports Neufeld’s decision to take legal action to address them. A hearing related to the lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday, and the Calgary Police Commission has refrained from commenting on the matter to respect the court process. Overall, the case highlights the ongoing challenges within the Calgary Police Service and the importance of addressing workplace culture issues in policing.
