REGINA, Sask. — Former Regina police chief Farooq Hassan Sheikh will get his chance to fight his firing at a six-day hearing starting Monday.
A three-member panel of the Saskatchewan Police Commission (SPC) will hear his appeal from Sept. 14 to 17, and Sept. 23 to 24. There's no set date when the panel will release its decision once the hearing has wrapped up.
“Witnesses are expected to be called, but I do not have an order, or name list,” said Brent Penner, executive director for the SPC in an email on Sept. 8.
Ahead of the hearing, the Commission issued an interim order on Sept. 11 placing a temporary ban on publication of evidence. The ban was made after a third-party application and will remain in effect until the SPC panel directs otherwise. The Commission will hear that application for a full non-publication order at 10 a.m. Monday, at the start of the appeal hearing, with the applicant, counsel and any media outlets given an opportunity to be heard.
Sheikh was fired in October 2025 by Regina’s Board of Police Commissioners after a Public Complaints Commission (PCC) investigation.
The PCC found he exchanged inappropriate private texts with a board member for months, including during a private meeting about his contract that he was excused from, never shared them with the board, and told the board member to delete the conversation.
Chad Bachynski, Regina mayor and Regina Police Service (RPS) Board of Police Commissioners member, described the communications as unbecoming of a police chief and dishonourable to the RPS.
The board fired him with cause, so he wasn’t given a severance, said Bachynski.
Sheikh’s lawyer said the appeal will prove his firing was unjustified and disproportionate, and that the process lacked fairness and due process.
Sheikh was named RPS chief in December 2023, after serving as chief of the Alberta Sheriffs and holding roles with the Calgary Police Service, Central Saanich Police Service, and the London Metropolitan and West Midlands police forces in the United Kingdom. He was chosen following a five-month nationwide recruitment process.
Lorilee Davies, a 29-year member of the service, took over as acting chief after his suspension and was confirmed as chief shortly after his dismissal.
SaskToday will follow the hearing and have more on this story.
– With files by John Cairns and Martin Oldhues
