'Part of something special': London Police Services Board introduces newest deputy chief
The London Police Service has hired a third deputy chief, finding the newest member of their leadership team in Hamilton.
Police Services Board Chair Ali Chahbar introduced Hamilton Police Superintendent Treena MacSween as deputy chief designate for the London Police Service during a news conference on Thursday morning.
"When Deputy Chief Designate MacSween walked into the boardroom for her interview and after her first or second answer to our questions I recognized, and we recognized, that we were part of something special,” Chahbar told those gathered for the announcement at police headquarters.
MacSween has had a 26 year career in policing, working in Hamilton and Peel Region. She has led five different divisions in Hamilton, including being a lead in the development of the service's strategic plan. She is currently in charge of the field support division.
"I've been able to lead divisions that have not just sworn and civilian members as well and understanding the value they bring,” she said. “So I think having that perspective of the different areas that I've lead will help me hit the ground running."
That aligns with goals Chief Thai Truong has laid out.
The hiring comes on the heels of the police service receiving a record $672 million budget.
London Police Service Chief Thai Truong introduces Treena MacSween as the force's newest deputy chief in a news conference in London, Ont. on April 11, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London) It has allowed Truong to add the third deputy after decades of having two, with one dealing with organizational issues and one handling administration, including overseeing the budget.
Truong has promised broad re-organization under what leadership has dubbed the ‘Safer City Initiative,’ and identified three core areas of responsibility.
"Community trust, organizational wellness and community safety. There's three major priorities, each deputy will have a priority,” he explained.
The appointment of MacSween in London also marks a historic moment for the London Police Service — she will be the first woman of colour to join the command team cadre.
Chahbar said that, along with her extensive administration experience, MacSween represents a commitment to diversity, becoming the highest-ranking Black female officer in Canada.
“We can't truly claim to have community policing unless the police service represents the community that it serves,” said Chahbar.
MacSween tapped into her Jamaican heritage as a foundation for her approach to police work.
"The national motto of Jamaica is ‘Out of many, one people.’ The meaning is, no matter what race, class, religion or gender we are all Jamaicans. For me, that saying exemplifies the London community, our membership and the leadership that has been assembled here,” she explained.
MacSween will be sworn in on April 22.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.