Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman says police Chief Devon Clunis's decision to call him about a drunk city councillor was appropriate and compassionate.

Coun. Ross Eadie was taken to a "drunk tank" early Saturday morning after a night out at multiple bars and venues.

According to Eadie, a friend put him in a cab around 2:30 a.m., but he doesn't remember what happened after that.

He woke up at the Main Street Project later Saturday morning.

Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis called Mayor Brian Bowman about a drunk city councillor early Saturday morning. (CBC) Eadie apologized for the night's events on Monday, but he initially questioned why police contacted the mayor about a non-criminal matter.

Now, Bowman has revealed it was the chief of the Winnipeg Police Service himself who called him.

"I received a call from the chief of police on Saturday, the day after, and the reason he contacted me was to look after the health and safety of the councillor," he said.

"It was a last resort call to try to identify an individual — family, a relative — who could attend to the Main Street Project to assist the councillor upon his release."

Bowman said he then made a call to find out whether Eadie had left an emergency contact with the city and arrange for them to meet him at the Main Street Project.

"I think it was an appropriate thing to do under the circumstances as a last resort to try to identify somebody to look after his well-being. That's what the information was used for, and solely used for that purpose," he said. "I'm grateful that we have a police chief that's compassionate enough to try to identify someone to assist."

In the end, Bowman wasn't able to track down a family member or emergency contact, and Eadie was released on his own.

When asked whether he was concerned about Eadie's ability to do his job going forward, Bowman said it was a personal matter and that he accepted the councillor's apology.

"I'm just grateful that the councillor is OK," said Bowman.

Eadie apologizes to mayor, mayor's staff

Eadie met with Winnipeg police on Tuesday and had the evening's events "described in detail" to him.

Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie said he owes an apology to the mayor and his staff after initially questioning why they were contacted about a Saturday night visit to the drunk tank. (CBC) "It has become very clear to me why the mayor was called about the situation," he said in a statement issued after the chat.

He said he now thinks he was treated fairly.

"I was unable to provide an address of someone who would take charge of a very drunk person. Given I work at city hall with the mayor and his office, there was a logical attempt to find an alternative to the Main Street Project on my behalf," Eadie said in a statement.

Eadie said he initially was concerned about the mayor being called about a personal issue, but after discussing the issue further, he understood.

"What is clear is I owe the mayor an apology due to my inappropriate actions. I also owe an apology to the mayor's staff," he said.