| Chief of the Toronto Police Service | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Toronto Police Service emblem (top) and Chief of Police rank slip (bottom) | |
| Toronto Police Service | |
| Reports to | Toronto Police Services Board |
| Appointer | Toronto Police Services Board |
| Constituting instrument | Police Services Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15) |
| Inaugural holder | William Higgins |
| Formation | 1834 |
| Website | tps.ca/chief |
The chief of the Toronto Police Service is the professional head of the Toronto Police Service (TPS). Under the direction of the Toronto Police Services Board, the chief is responsible for the management and administration of the police service's operations.
Myron Demkiw is the current chief of police, having assumed office on December 19, 2022.[1]
Overview
Section 41 of the Police Services Act legally defines the role of police chiefs in Ontario. Under this law, the chief is responsible for administering the police force and overseeing its operation in accordance with the objectives, priorities and policies established by the board, ensuring that members of the police force carry out their duties in accordance with the Police Services Act in a manner that reflects the needs of the community, maintaining discipline in the police force, ensuring that the police force provides community-oriented police services, and administering the complaints system.[2][3]
The Toronto Police Services Board recruits and dismisses the chief. Day-to-day policing and operational decisions of the Toronto Police Service are made by the chief, but must be consistent with the policies and objectives set by the Toronto Police Services Board.[4]
History
The position was known as "high constable" when the Toronto Police Department was formed[5] until 1859 and then as "chief constable" until 1957, when the Toronto Police Department was amalgamated with 12 other Toronto-area forces to form the Metropolitan Toronto Police.[6]
List of chiefs of police
| Agency | Title | Name | Tenure | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Police Department
(1834–1956) |
High Constable | William Higgins | 1834 | ||
| George Kingsmill | 1835 | ||||
| James Stitt | 1836 | ||||
| George Kingsmill | 1837–1846 | ||||
| George Allen | 1847–1852 | ||||
| Samuel Sherwood | 1852–1858 | ||||
| Chief Constable | William Stratton Prince | 1859–1873 | |||
| Frank C. Draper | 1874–1886 | ||||
| H. J. Grasett | 1886–1920 | Longest serving chief | |||
| Samuel Dickson | 1920–1928 | ||||
| Dennis Draper | 1928–1946 | ||||
| John Chisholm | 1946–1956 | ||||
| Metropolitan Toronto Police
(1957–1998) |
Chief of Police | John Chisholm | 1957–1958 | ||
| James Mackey | 1958–1970 | ||||
| Harold Adamson | 1970–1980 | ||||
| Jack Ackroyd | 1980–1984 | ||||
| Jack Marks | 1984–1989 | ||||
| William McCormack | 1989–1995 | ||||
| Toronto Police Service
(1998–present) |
David Boothby | 1995–2000 | Last chief of the Metro Police; first chief of the Toronto Police Service | ||
| Julian Fantino | 2000–2005 | ||||
| Mike Boyd | 2005 | Interim | [8] | ||
| Bill Blair | 2005–2015 | [9] | |||
| Mark Saunders | 2015–2020 | [10] | |||
| James Ramer | 2020–2022 | Interim | [11] | ||
| Myron Demkiw | 2022–present |
References
- ↑ "Toronto names police chief: Deputy Chief Myron Demkiw will replace James Ramer". thestar.com. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
- ↑ "Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15". Ontario.ca. 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ "How do Ontario police forces operate and who commands them?". Toronto. 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ "Toronto Police Services Board - Board Mandate". tpsb.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ "A History of Policing in Toronto - 1 -". www.torontopolice.on.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ "A History of Policing in Toronto - 6 -". www.torontopolice.on.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ "A History of Policing in Toronto - 5 -". www.torontopolice.on.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ "Ontario ombudsman names former police chiefs as advisors". The Toronto Star. 2013-11-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ Gillis, Wendy (2015-04-17). "The legacy of Toronto police Chief Bill Blair". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ James, Royson (2015-04-19). "Mark Saunders named Toronto's next police chief". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ↑ Ngabo, Gilbert (2021-08-06). "Toronto police board extends appointment of James Ramer as interim chief until the end of next year". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-02-16.