Municipal staff are reviewing how security manhandled the father of Coun. Alysson Storey at the Oct. 21 council meeting.
Tom Storey, who for more than 16 years, advised the Municipality of Chatham-Kent on planning matters – often addressing council during sessions on Monday evenings – was escorted out of council chambers during an intermission in the five-hour meeting.
Tom Storey, a consulting partner and founder of Storey Samways Planning Ltd., appeared to want to go speak with his daughter during the break.
He never got close.
The municipality enacted a public code of conduct earlier this year, and increased security at the Civic Centre.
Tom Storey experienced that heightened security first hand.
A video of the meeting shows him trying to move past a security guard to head towards where several councillors were talking during the break in the meeting.
In the YouTube video from YourTV Chatham-Kent, which airs all council meetings, a security guard appears to inform Tom Storey that access to where he intended on going was restricted, but he tried to push past regardless.
The guard detoured him instead across the front of the public seating area and towards the stairs out on the far side. As they came across, the guard appeared to pass him off to a female guard, who turned to take him up the exit stairs.
At this time, a bearded male security guard put his hands on Tom Storey, grabbing him at the elbow, and forcibly redirecting the senior citizen.
Through it all, Alysson Storey, whose back was turned while speaking with another councillor, was unaware what was transpiring.
The incident sprung up on social media, prompting a slew of online comments.
Alysson Storey issued the following statement via email to The Chatham Voice.
“The safety of everyone in the Civic Centre and council chambers is important, and that includes visitors, administration, council and the security staff. While I appreciate the work of security services, since security is a function of administration, I am also seeking clarification from administration around current security practices and any lessons learned moving forward,” she said. “Thanks to everyone who was concerned about my dad; he is doing fine and appreciates the support of the community.”
Cathy Hoffman, general manager of corporate services for the municipality, confirmed Chatham-Kent administration was examining how the incident was handled.
“We are continuing to investigate this matter and once we have reviewed the evidence available to us and spoken with the relevant parties, we will be taking any next steps, and process improvements we deem appropriate to ensure the ongoing preservation of safety and respect for members of council, staff and the public during our council meetings,” she said. “This will include a review of our security policies as well as how our public code of conduct policy may apply.”
In her online comments on the matter, Alysson Storey said her father was unaware of the changes in security at the Civic Centre, specifically for council meetings.
“There is a new rule about the public coming onto the council floor, but he was not aware of that and was in good faith just coming over to see me like everyone else was chatting with each other,” she said on Facebook. “He is not always steady on his feet due to a health condition and while a larger guy, he is also in his late 70s and normally about the most low-key person you’ll ever meet.”
Hoffman said there is a sign at the entrance to council chambers that “outlines the rules of decorum for attending meetings.” She said the clerk, Judy Smith, reads out those rules at the beginning of every council meeting.
“It identifies, among other things, that the public are not to approach members of council when they are around the horseshoe,” Hoffman said of the U-shaped council table. “The security guards are instructed to enforce this and not to let anyone into that restricted area unless escorted in by a member of council or administration. It is the primary reason the security guards are placed specifically at these access points during the meeting.”
Alysson Storey said one of the security guards used profanity when dealing with her father.
“When I realized my dad was being grabbed by a security guard and the guard was shouting and repeatedly swearing at him as he tried to regain his balance, I ran over to see what was going on. What you’re not seeing or hearing (in the video) is the security guard continue to shout obscenities at my dad as I tried to move my dad away from him,” she said. “It was a surreal situation to experience and I think could have been handled in a less aggressive way.”
Alysson Storey said she hoped there will be lessons learned from the altercation and a new approach will be implemented “so this doesn’t happen to members of the public in this way again”
The councillor had a hand in creating the new security measures this past spring. Not only was she one of 12 councillors to vote to beef up security, change seating for the public in chambers, and restrict access, but she said one of the reasons she wanted to see tighter security was due to the fact she felt unsafe “multiple” times at council. That included an incident in April in which she interacted with a balaclava-clad man alone in a hallway outside council chambers.
