Wednesday was expected to be the day the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board decided on whether to rehire Deborah Bourne, the veteran police officer who resigned while facing a dozen accusations of misconduct.

Instead, board members voted to defer the matter to their October meeting.

Board chair Tom Galloway said that the board had just received new information about Bourne, and needed more time to come to a decision.

“This was the first opportunity that the board had to hear all the information,” he said.

Bourne abruptly quit her job last month, after spending 25 years with the organization. The last two years and nine months of her tenure were spent on paid suspension.

She was accused of a dozen offences under the Police Services Act, including corrupt practice, neglect of duty and deceit.

The allegations were never proven, as they were stayed when she resigned, and no criminal charges were ever laid against Bourne.

In late August, CTV News began hearing claims that Bourne had been rehired by Waterloo Regional Police as a special constable.

Chief Bryan Larkin eventually said that Bourne was “in transition” within the organization as part of a “negotiated settlement” based on a medical examination and other factors, and that more information would be made public at Wednesday’s meeting.

That did happen, Galloway said – but it prompted a number of “unanswered questions” and a decision to give the matter more time.

“We did hear about all the circumstances surrounding the matter, including the medical report – which of course we can’t talk about publicly, other than that there was one,” he said.

In an interview with CTV News, Larkin said that Bourne is currently employed by police, and continues to undergo training.

“There is no special treatment here,” he said.

The police board said that further details of the deal with Bourne, which include medical and legal matters, cannot be made public.

The Police Services Act charges against Bourne would be reinstated were Bourne to be rehired as a police officer within five years.

That would not be the case if Bourne is hired as a special constable – a position which typically performs functions like courthouse security.

CTV News contacted Bourne on Wednesday, but did not receive a response before this story was published.

In a separate move, Galloway said that the board plans to look into the process of how Bourne’s settlement was reached.

“The board is concerned that it may have not been brought into the process earlier when the settlement was being determined,” he said.

The police board has authority over all appointments of special constables for Waterloo Regional Police.