Waterloo Region’s police board voted unanimously Wednesday to appoint Deborah Bourne as a special constable.

Bourne had resigned from Waterloo Regional Police in August, bringing an end to a 25-year career as a sworn officer.

The constable had spent the final two years and nine months of her tenure on paid suspension, as she faced 12 charges under the Police Services Act.

Among the charges were accusations of corruption, deceit and neglect of duty relating to her relationship with a person under investigation by police.

None of those allegations were ever proven, as Police Services Act charges are stayed when an officer resigns, and no criminal charges were ever laid against Bourne.

The Police Services Act proceeding was delayed 28 times due to a wait for medical records relating to a condition that has never been made public.

Paul Perchaluk, the head of the Waterloo Regional Police Association, said Wednesday that the medical condition was a factor precipitating the charges.

Bourne was “not at her best” at the time, Perchaluk said.

“She is a good person. She just had a bad patch in her life – as we all do at times,” he said.

In her new role, Bourne will work with the police service’s court services branch.

She will earn about $70,000 per year, or about $20,000 less than she did as a police constable, and will have access to private information about members of the public.

Before the appointment was approved, police board members heard from one of the initial complainants against Bourne.

“It’s not a minor administration matter,” David Johnson said.

“It’s fraud and it constitutes a criminal offence.”

Johnson claimed that Bourne’s new civilian job was part of a deal struck in exchange for her resignation.

“Justice was perverted by the act of the offer of employment,” he said.

Bourne’s lawyer disagreed, saying the process was public and did not include “secret deals” or “backroom handshakes”.

Larkin agreed.

“What happened here was a resolution, which happens every single day in employment matters,” he said.

Also revealed Wednesday was that the resolution to Bourne’s case was being considered prior to Larkin starting as chief.

At that time, the organization was run by Matt Torigian, now Ontario’s deputy minister of community safety and correctional services – the same ministry which recommended Bourne’s appointment as a special constable.

The ministry’s recommendation notes that Bourne has completed training required for the job and meets professional qualifications.

Those comments were echoed Wednesday by Larkin, Perchaluk and police board chair Tom Galloway.

“Our concern was really whether or not this person was capable and able to do the job,” Galloway said in an interview.

“We’ve been assured through the medical information, and also through our senior leadership team, that she’s done … exceptionally well in the training.”

Torigian did not respond to a request for comment before this story was published.