Hamilton Chief of Police Glenn De Caire will not seek a second term when his contract ends on December 31, 2014.
De Caire joined the Hamilton Police service as Chief of Police on January 1, 2010 after serving 29 years on the Toronto Police Services, lastly as a Staff Superintendent commanding the Central Field Unit that oversees the megacity’s downtown core with nine police stations, 2,000 officers and a $200-million budget.
He was hired on a five-year contract and will serve the entire term.
Mayor, and Police Services Board Chair, Bob Bratina had only praise for De Caire saying the Chief’s letter – handed to him shortly before 4pm – surprised him and has saddened him as he believes De Caire is the right man to lead the police service forward.
When asked, at the end of an interview in his office, what kind of person he will be looking for in the next police chief, Bratina stated “A Glenn De Caire”.
Asked to name the two top achievements of De Caire’s term thus far, Bratina cited the ACTION strategy and De Caire’s implementation of clear policy directions.
Bratina noted the recent Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services audit of the HPS that resulted in a perfect report card and no recommended changes.
During the next 16 months, Bratina expects De Caire to achieve professional leadership and mentorship to assist the succession process and to provide strong leadership for cost containment during contract talks.
De Caire issued the following statement to the public via Twitter shortly after 5pm today:
Chief of Police Will Not Seek Contract Extension
Statement of Chief of Police Glenn De Caire:
The members of the Hamilton Police Service continue to perform with excellence and professionalism and I remain extremely proud of the efforts that each member has put forth in delivering community based police services to our diverse communities across Hamilton. Our partnerships in the community are strong and we are working together to enhance community safety, revitalize the city, encourage investment and growth and we, as a community, are doing amazing work together.
I have been proud to work with such great colleagues in this Service as we raised our enforcement levels over 50% from 2008. Arrests have increased from a yearly average of 7,200 to the 2012 level of 8,600.
Police budgets from 2001 – 2009 saw 7 of 9 budgets in excess of 4% and 2009 – 2013 saw 4 of 5 budgets under 4% from this Service. WE, the current administration of the Service, have delivered the lowest budgets while producing the highest levels of productivity and professionalism delivered by the women and men, civilian and sworn.
The Service has almost completed an entire review of corporate policy over the last 3 years and was the first police service in the province of Ontario to receive a report of ‘No Recommendations’ when audited by the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services.
I am very proud that we as a Service are complemented by the Community Policing Volunteers, Auxiliary Officers and Volunteers in many other sections of the Service that provide excellent quality service to the community and our collective efforts over the last years has resulted in the Service winning major provincial, national and international awards. In October, the HPS will receive three International Awards for our Victim Services and Community Based Policing programs and strategies.
The Service also remains proud of our Retiree’s Association and the many former members who continue to volunteer their time to enhance the police relationship with our citizens and honour our rich history.
Sir Robert Peel’s “Principles of Policing’ remain as salient today as when they were written in 1832. The most important principle states that the success of policing is not the response to crime, but the absence of crime. Our job is to deliver on that very principle.
The dedication and effort of our members has made our roads safer with increased enforcement, lowered citizen involved collisions, arrested more impaired drivers than ever before and all done with pride and professionalism. Our ACTION Strategy, Bail Compliance Unit and Social Navigator Program are innovative strategies designed to assist the most vulnerable and the entire Service has produced a Violent Crime Severity decrease of 19% in 2012. This is recognized in the Statistics Canada ‘Police Reported Crime in Canada 2012’ report as the city with the greatest single decline in Violent Crime Severity in the nation.
I am extremely proud of our Service and the policing excellence that has been delivered to the citizens of Hamilton by our members. I am honoured to serve in Hamilton and have worked hard every day to represent the members, the community and the Board to the best of my abilities.
With the great achievements of our members and the community based policing approach entrenched in quality service delivery, the stage is set for a bright future.
I will not seek to exercise the term extensions of my contract and will be retiring from the Hamilton Police Service effective December 31, 2014.
Our organizational structure is aligned for the future with current Command commitment to enhancing the administrative programs to support strategic deployment of resources that will continue to produce outstanding results in the most efficient manner. We are committed to develop our Human Resource Information System, Time and Resource Management System and fully integrate Service wide Crime Analysis. The HPS Crime Prevention Strategy is based in sound research and excellence in delivery of service to the community. We have invested in the development of our senior staff for succession.
All the essential parts are in place.
We have remarkable people to continue to carry the organization forward. It continues to be my privilege and my pleasure to serve the citizens of Hamilton and it is an honour to represent each of our members.
This is an amazing community of dedicated people and the community is served by professional members, civilian and sworn, of the Hamilton Police Service. We still have lots of work to do for the remainder of 2013 – 2014 and we, as the proud Police Service that we are, remain committed to the relentless pursuit of offenders, enhancement of community safety and the protection of victims of crime.
Glenn De Caire, Chief of Police
Hamilton Police Service