London Police Services Board appoints interim deputy chief

The London Police Services Board announced the appointment of interim deputy chief Paul Reynolds Friday, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

“The London Police Services Board would like to thank interim deputy chief Reynolds for agreeing to assume this role until such time as we are able to complete the hiring process for a permanent deputy chief,” said Susan Toth, chair of the board.

“We have full confidence that his wealth of experience from a long career spent at London Police Service will serve him and the organization very well.”

Toth said whether the position could be kept empty as they continued the hiring was a decision they debated. From an operational standpoint, it was better to appoint someone into the role temporarily.

“The next decision was that’s probably better to bring someone in who had not put in their name for the role just so that there’s no unfair advantages,” she said. “We’re really lucky that Deputy Chief Reynolds stepped up.”

Reynolds has been with the LPS for more than 30 years. He has worked in most areas of the organization.

Within the community, he has spent many years coaching boys’ and girls’ youth hockey teams and was a member of the London Junior Knights board of directors.

“While my family and I made a personal decision that I wouldn’t put my name forward for the permanent deputy chief position, I am very honoured to have been asked by the board to fill this role on an interim basis until the search for a new deputy chief is complete,” said Reynolds.

“The London Police Service has offered me many opportunities for growth and challenge throughout the years. I am grateful the board has placed their trust in me.”

The hiring process could take up to two and a half months, leaving a position vacant where normally, there would be a chief and two deputy chiefs.

“One deputy chief being operations, which as you can imagine, is an important portfolio,” said Toth. “What we didn’t want to see was that portfolio empty and being taken by the current chief who is going to be retiring soon.”

Toth said they wanted to make sure the current administration was not being overloaded, with so much going on regarding policing issues.

“We feel lucky to have found such an exceptional candidate who was willing to do this role on an interim basis, even though he had not intended to apply for the position,” she said.

The members of the board include:

• Susan Toth, chair
• Ali Chahbar, vice-chair
• Nancy Branscombe, member
• Coun. Steve Lehman, member
• Mayor Josh Morgan, member
• Coun. Susan Stevenson, member
• Megan Walker, member