The chair of the Windsor Police Services Board says a new police chief to be hired by the end of November.
Board Chair and Ward 6 Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac says they are going through the process to hire a new chief and will continue to do that until it comes to a conclusion.
Chief Jason Bellaire announced in early February that he would retire effective November 2025, although the exact date has not been announced.
The board retained the services of executive search firm Odgers Berndtson to aid in a nationwide search for a replacement, which held consultations with Chief Bellaire, the senior command team, along with various stakeholder and community groups to set priorities for the search.
"The interviews are extensive. We look for the best fit possible," she says. "The process is the process. We wind our way through it and present to the people what we think in terms of the consultation that was undertaken before, what they're looking for, and what we're looking for."
Gignac says there are good candidates.
"People that do apply for the position are very well qualified; they come with different backgrounds and different capabilities. It's up to the committee to sort through and come up with recommendations for the board as a whole," she says.
Bellaire was appointed chief at the end of November 2022 after serving as acting chief since April 2022 following the resignation of former chief Pam Mizuno.
His appointment as Windsor's 19th police chief was for a five-year term that took effect on Dec. 1, 2022.