Calgary Police Service Chief Mark Neufeld will be leading the city’s police force until 2027.
The Calgary Police Commission announced the extension of Neufeld’s contract on Friday morning. The extension will “ensure stability in leadership” of the CPS for another four years, the commission said.
Neufeld was sworn in on June 10, 2019 after former police chief Roger Chaffin stepped down in January that year. Before serving as CPS chief, Neufeld was the chief of the Camrose Police Service and worked in both Vancouver and Edmonton.
At the time, Neufeld said he would focus on domestic violence and address the history of bullying and harassment from within the force.
Neufeld told reporters in 2019 that he spent a lot of time connecting with officers in all districts to get a better sense of their personal work experiences before he was appointed. He promised to change the culture within the force while also changing the public’s perception of police officers.
Chaffin publicly exposed some of those concerns around bullying and harassment before he stepped down.
“Strong stable leadership will ensure that the work that matters to Calgarians will continue uninterrupted,” said Calgary Police Commission chair Shawn Cornett at a news conference on Friday morning.
“Chief Neufeld has demonstrated strong leadership and is championing many of the priorities that matter to Calgarians. Our commission is very happy to have his leadership continue for the next four years.
“Committing to very good, strong leadership that is stable was one of the key factors (for the extension).”
Cornett said the continuity and consistency will help extend the relationships between the police, city council and community resources.
“The partnerships and relationships don’t happen at the flip of the switch. You have to work on them and build them,” she told reporters.
“The partnership between the police service and the city has been front and center … I think the continuity will make things more consistent and stable going forward.”
Neufeld said crime and social disorder will remain a top priority as chief of the CPS. He said he will be working closely with other police agencies and various levels of government to advocate for reforms that will help address these issues.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to extend my appointment in the role as chief constable for the Calgary Police Service,” he told reporters.
“We remain absolutely committed to serving and protecting the citizens of Calgary. Stability and consistency of direction will help us moving forward.”
Neufeld said he wants to support his officers and raise their morale. Staffing shortages and a rise in crime and social disorder in Calgary have taken a toll on CPS members.
“Looking after people in the organization so they can deliver services in the community is important, and that’s what I want to focus on too,” he said.
Cornett noted the commission has mandated the service to work on a plan to improve morale within the service and to listen to the feedback provided by officers and staff.
“Once you have a workforce that is more engaged, more comfortable and happier at work, they’re going to provide better service to people on the streets,” she said.
“Making sure they are engaged and happy about what is going on is critical for the community.”
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