New Brunswick·NewThe first meeting of the Codiac Reigonal Policing Authority board since its request for more officers failed and its chair resigned saw a heated exchange over a call for the province to investigate the civilian board.First meeting since call for investigation of board, chair’s resignation sees tense exchangeShane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2025 9:56 AM EST | Last Updated: 32 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Don Moore, the former chair of the Codiac Regional Policing Authority board, and JJ Doiron, who served as acting chair during the board’s meeting in Dieppe on Thursday. The meeting included a vote to choose a new chair, but the selected individual was not present. (Shane Magee/CBC)They elected a person to lead them who wasn’t present, heard a plea for action on crime and voiced confusion over police staffing levels. Then, there was a tense moment about a mysterious call for a provincial investigation over allegations that have yet to be publicly explained. All of that unfolded within two hours at a Thursday evening Codiac Regional Policing Authority board meeting in Dieppe.It was the first public meeting of the civilian board overseeing Codiac Regional RCMP since councils rejected its request for more officers as part of a $66.5-million budget, a board member alleged political and procedural interference, and its chair Don Moore apologized and later resigned from the role.It remained unclear what would happen next with the policing budget after councils in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview voted to adopt a version without the 15 additional officers the board sought. The approved version still increases overall spending.“We have to respect the municipality, they’re the funder,” JJ Doiron, the board’s acting chair, told reporters when asked what happens next.“But at the same time, we have an enormous need, so the board is going to have to make a decision [on] what’s the best path forward.”New chair selectedOne of the first tasks when the board’s meeting began Thursday was picking a new chair following Moore’s resignation earlier in the month. Moore remained a board member and led the voting process which saw eight votes cast for Jean Goguen and three for Doiron. Goguen wasn’t present during the meeting so Doiron served as acting chair.After hearing a plea from a group representing downtown business owners and residents to crack down on crime, the board moved on to various committee reports. That’s when Moore, as former chair, read his report which described the council budget votes, his resignation and how he supported a board member’s call for the minister to investigate the board. Board members clapped, but Moore’s reference to the investigation prompted Corinne Godbout, a Dieppe city councillor on the board, to ask Moore why a news release was issued about the investigation request without first alerting the entire board.’Enough debate’ or ‘not enough debate’The release on Oct. 31 said Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin had been formally asked to examine “concerns of political and procedural interference” within the policing authority. Godbout’s questions led to another board member, retired judge Irwin Lampert, suggesting she was out of line since the issue had already been discussed in a closed-door meeting.“It’s enough debate on that topic,” Lampert said, adding he didn’t make the investigation request.“It’s not enough debate,” Godbout said while Lampert started speaking over her, saying “it’s in the past.”“No, it’s not,” Godbout said.“It’s finished,” Lampert said with a raised voice.“It’s not, because it alludes to misconduct by the parties that are around this table,” Godbout said. Godbout asked whoever filed the request to speak up, but no one did so. Province won’t release requestIt remains unclear who submitted the request for an investigation and exactly what it alleged. Several board members have publicly or in interviews said they weren’t the source of the request. CBC News filed a right to information request to get a copy of the investigation request. But earlier this month, the province’s Department of Public Safety said it wouldn’t release the document.It cited a section of right to information legislation that allows withholding information deemed “advice, opinions, or recommendations developed by or for the public body or a Minister of the Crown.”Whether the minister is still considering the request is unclear. CBC News asked the province for an update and was told by a spokesperson on Thursday that the minister won’t comment.26 vacancies, superintendent saysAfter the heated moment between Godbout and Lampert, the meeting turned to an update from Codiac Regional RCMP Supt. Benoit Jolette that touched on various recent crimes in the three communities. Jolette also addressed the force’s effort to fill vacant officer positions, including 17 approved as part of the 2025 budget. He said personnel have been selected for positions, but in some cases are still in the process of moving.“This is what’s killing us right now,” Jolette said.He said the reality is that the force has about 150 people working daily, but around 26 vacancies. He told the board the force is unable to address as many issues as it wants, such as open air drug use, traffic enforcement or complex cases involving financial or online crimes.Jolette said the Codiac RCMP has reorganized several units to focus on tackling things such as property crime — units he expects will be able to make a difference once vacancies are filled. ABOUT THE AUTHORShane Magee is a Moncton-based reporter for CBC News.
Budget uncertainty remains for Moncton-area policing authority after council votes
