THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Police Services Board apparently has made progress in its search for a new chief of police.
Mayor Ken Boshcoff, who sits on the board, revealed Monday that there are only two candidates still in the running to succeed Sylvie Hauth, who officially retired last month.
"The quality of the candidates that applied were of a very high level, and of a capacity that several of them would be able to do the job. It's making me feel optimistic about the person who will end up being the leader," the mayor said in an interview.
"We know what we need here. We need basically somebody who can bring the community, the region and the representatives of the various social service and protective service agencies to work, understanding that we are a regional centre for a gargantuanly large area."
Boshcoff said he expects the final decision to be made "in the very near future."
Police board secretary John Hannam recently stated that there was "lots of interest" in the job posting, which closed on Dec. 16.
Candidates have been screened by board administrator Malcolm Mercer and the board's governance committee, which includes three board members and three Indigenous representatives.
An expert panel recommended last year that the board give preference in the hiring process to an Indigenous or racialized candidate, provided that the successful applicant meets other essential criteria for the job.
Mercer, who has sole decision-making power on the board, is currently scheduled to step aside at the end of March.
But his term has already been extended once, and the Ontario government government has reserved the right to grant further extensions.
Boshcoff said he believes Mercer has been "certainly very helpful in steering the direction" of the board, and that "processes are in place for a long-lived and solid relationship between the board, the police service and the community."
