Millionaire philanthropist Charles Juravinski is calling on the Hamilton Police Services Board to reject Chief Glenn De Caire's resignation and ask him to stay on for another term.

"I would like the police board to hand him back his resignation and give him a vote of confidence," Juravinski said in an interview.

Juravinski, who has donated $53 million to major Hamilton health-care projects, says De Caire is the kind of "no-nonsense cop" the community needs.

Mayor Bob Bratina agrees.

"Hopefully, Charles Juravinski's initiative will have a positive outcome for us because I believe we have the right chief for Hamilton in place right now."

Bratina stepped down as member and chair of the police board in October. He says if he had remained on the board, he would have already asked De Caire to withdraw his resignation.

De Caire effectively resigned in September when he unexpectedly announced he's leaving when his present term expires at the end of 2014.

Juravinski says De Caire told him soon afterwards at the chief's fundraising gala that he doesn't want to leave but felt he couldn't function because of a conflicted board.

"When I asked him blatantly, 'Do you really want to go?' he said, "No, absolutely not.'

"I said, 'What would it take to keep you?' He said, 'All I have to do is be asked. I would be delighted to stay. We love Hamilton. My wife loves Hamilton. We don't want to move.'"

Juravinski says that's why he's appealing to the police board; an appeal he hopes will create a community groundswell.

"I want the chief to remain here and I'm asking people to show their response," said the 84-year old former owner of Flamboro Downs racetrack.

De Caire declined to be interviewed.

But police board chair and city Councillor Bernie Morelli says he's open to discussing the matter with other board members at an unscheduled Dec. 2 meeting.

Morelli notes that the board accepted De Caire's resignation at his request.

"He took the initiative and that certainly shows where his disposition is. If he wants to come back to me and say, 'I've made a big mistake' or whatever, I can't speculate about that."

Morelli calls Juravinski's pitch an acceptable "transparent piece of lobbying," He says he's heard from other fans as well as critics of De Caire.

During his close to four years as chief, De Caire has been applauded for everything from decreasing violent crime to innovative programs such as Social Navigator, which helps repeat offenders.

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However, he's called "Chief Don't Care" by some police officers, a reference to his perceived top-down disdain for feedback.

And he ran afoul of both city council and council members on the seven-member police board during the long tug-of-war over his controversial 2013 budget request.

By the time the debate was over, the board was divided and riven by tensions and De Caire had done an end-run around council by hiring 15 new officers, imposing an estimated $1 million annualized cost on the city budget.

But Juravinski believes the bad blood is more about personality clashes than money. In his experience, it's normal for a board of directors and CEOs to disagree. Sometimes, he said, the CEO has to draw a line.

"The only thing I hear (against De Caire) is he's a hard-nosed guy and he might come on strong. Well, what's wrong with that? General Patton came on strong."

Juravinski has spoken to Morelli and board vice-chair and Councillor Lloyd Ferguson. He's also enlisting in his cause respected community members such as LIUNA's Joe Mancinelli and former police chief Colin Millar.

He thinks both De Caire and wary board members should "bury the hatchet" for the good of the community.

"I don't believe the chief is a liar and he wouldn't have said to me in front of people that he doesn't want to leave Hamilton (if he didn't) like to stay in Hamilton."

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