Opinion

Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION

New chief not prepared

By: Uncredited

Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 | Comments: 0

Devon Clunis, Winnipeg’s incoming police chief, said comments he made in ChristianWeek news about how prayer could play a “significant role” in making Winnipeg’s streets safer, were twisted out of context by some media.

Here’s what he was so angry about: “The important piece of what I also said there was ‘prayer backed up by action.’” Oh yes, right, that’s much clearer now.

While he opened himself up to a niche news outlet such as ChristianWeek, on Wednesday — as hellfire and brimstone rained down upon him for mixing church with state, including from this page — the selectively loose-lipped top cop turned down all requests from Winnipeg media outlets. Oh, with the expection of the CBC, giving that news organization an interview Tuesday morning for its local morning show and then following it up again Wednesday morning on the national program, The Current.

So not only has Clunis marked himself as a bit of a kook for suggesting prayer can help in crime-fighting, but he’s also alienated himself from all media but an obscure Christian news outlet and the CBC.

Nice work from someone who hasn’t even been sworn in yet.

Clunis also told ChristianWeek he believes God helped him climb the ranks of the Winnipeg Police Service.

Clunis, a 25-year veteran of the WPS — one of the WPS chaplains for the past 14 years — was chosen at the beginning of the month to replace outgoing chief Keith McCaskill, The Canadian Press reported.

Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz told the Winnipeg Free Press he doesn’t know if Clunis has received media training and declined to answer questions regarding how prepared he is for his new, high-profile role as chief.

We’ll answer those questions for your, your worship — he’s not prepared at all.

And neither are the folks who decided to hire him.

Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition October 26, 2012

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Here’s what he was so angry about: “The important piece of what I also said there was ‘prayer backed up by action.’” Oh yes, right, that’s much clearer now.

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Here’s what he was so angry about: “The important piece of what I also said there was ‘prayer backed up by action.’” Oh yes, right, that’s much clearer now.

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