Peel police board launch public survey to assist in search for new chief

The Peel Police Services Board has launched an online public survey to help board members search for a new full-time police chief.

The four-question survey, launched on the Peel police board website Monday morning, asks members of Peel what they would like to see in the region’s new chief.

The anonymous survey asks the public to consider what issues are of most concern to them in the community, what priorities they would like the new chief to focus on, what skills the new chief should have, and any other additional comments the police board should consider in the hiring process.

The results will be used by executive search and recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson to draft a job description for the position which will be made public later this spring. The firm will be searching Canada-wide for potential candidates.

The search comes after former Chief Jennifer Evans retired from the position in January.

Evans, a sometimes controversial figure in the debate around carding, worked with the Peel police for 35 years and led the force for six years before her retirement.

She was initially slated to stay on as police chief until October of this year but announced last fall that she would be leaving the post in January.

In the meantime, Chris McCord is Peel’s interim police chief.

McCord, who assumed the position on Jan. 12, previously served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland before joining Peel police. He also served as the deputy director of the unified command centre for the 2010 G20 Summit and the superintendent and executive officer to the chief in 2011.

The survey assisting in the search for a permanent chief is open until May 6.

– With files from Nick Westoll