Edmonton police commission tackles move to virtual meetings, Chinatown drop-offs

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsCrimeLocal News Edmonton police commission tackles move to virtual meetings, Chinatown drop-offs Henderson said concerning incidents had been ongoing since March and increased in severity. Author of the article: By Liam Newbigging Published Sep 17, 2026 3 minute read Join the conversation Edmonton Police Service Chief Warren Driechel on Dec. 11, 2025. PHOTO BY DAVID BLOOM /Postmedia file Article content The first in a series of virtual public meetings by the Edmonton Police Commission started with a reminder of why things moved online. Article content “Ongoing harassment, defamation, intimidation and death threats are being received, whether at in-person meetings or in other spaces,” chairman Ben Henderson said Thursday. Article content Article content He added that the commission needs to uphold decorum, respectful workplace policies and ensure safety. Article content Article content Article content His words come after the commission announced earlier this month that meetings would go virtual and the public feedback portion would be cut for the remainder of the year. Article content Headline News Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The decision follows a heated July meeting where speakers called for police Chief Warren Driechel to be fired. There remains a lingering debate over Driechel’s choice to visit Israel in February, along with the test of body-worn cameras equipped with facial recognition technology by the Edmonton Police Service. Article content Henderson said concerning incidents had been ongoing since March and increased in severity. Article content He reiterated that the change is meant to be temporary. He said the policy will be “reconsidered” in the following months and that “a permanent condition is yet to be determined.” Article content Following the meeting, Driechel told reporters the commission is a bit of an outlier compared to other police governance bodies when it comes to allowing public speakers. Article content He also said it’s different in how it runs meetings altogether, looking at the conduct allowed at city council meetings. Article content “How do we mirror that from a governance perspective? Still allow the…