The newest member of the Windsor Police Services Board hopes to bring a 'positive attitude' in lending his voice to the decision making process.
John Elliott was sworn-in as a new provincially appointed board member Wednesday afternoon at Windsor Police headquarters.
Elliott is currently the executive director of the Sandwich Teen Action Group, a non-profit organization that delivers after school programming to local youth including homework clubs, peer group meetings, and a self-esteem boosting program.
He says he's been blessed to work with young people for 30 years and how he presents himself is very important to him.
"Positive first, positive. No matter how bad a situation is, find the positive in it," he says. "It might be a hurdle at the time but let's figure out how to get over it, get around it and keep moving."
Elliott previously served as a member of Windsor City Council, representing Ward 2 between 2014 and 2018.
He was contacted by the Solicitor General's office asking if he would accept the position, making him the only person of colour on the board.
His appointment comes as the board has faced questions around representation and diversity among the board members.
Elliott says his work with the police over the years with the Sandwich Teen Action Group and his work in the community is something he will bring to the board.
"People are going to talk about the diversity piece and that's fine," he says. "Myself, personally, I think those two things of being born and raised here and then developing that long-term relationship with the police is basically what I'm interested in at the police service level."
Elliott says he understands diversity is a hot button item.
"At the end of the day, I'm Canadian. I'm born here, I know what's going on with everything, so I'll kind of leave it at that I guess," he says.
The five-member board also includes board chair and mayor of Windsor Drew Dilkens, vice-chair Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac, along with Sophia Chisholm and Robert de Verteuil.