Gilles Larochelle is weeks away from cleaning out his desk and calling it a career with the Kingston police, meaning the city’s law enforcement is in need of a new leader.
Larochelle has served as Kingston’s chief of police for five years and previously worked as a deputy chief in Ottawa. However, he says being police chief has a shelf life and it has now expired.
Larochelle is expected to finish in mid-October. The outgoing police chief has voiced his opinion on the characteristics he would like to see in his successor, although he does not have a say in the matter as the decision falls to the city’s police board.
One of the police board’s members is Mayor Bryan Paterson. He says both Larochelle and the board are looking for a candidate with strong communication skills. The relationship between the mayor’s office and the police department is critical to the safety of the community and having a replacement soon will clear up any uncertainty, said Paterson.
The search for the best candidate is under way, and the police board is taking their time to ensure that the person selected will be the best replacement and benefit the community for years to come.
Comments