Here is a press release from the CKPS:
At the meeting of the Chatham-Kent Police Services Board held today, Mrs. Pat Bélanger, Chair of the Board, announced that the Board has received the pending retirement notice of Chief of Police, Dennis Poole. With accumulated unused vacation and lieu time, Chief Poole’s retirement will commence on April 24, 2015.
Chair Bélanger stated that regretfully, the Board accepted Chief Poole’s decision. “Chief Poole is recognized as a leader in Canadian policing because of his innovative thinking, creative problem solving, and promotion of the use of the latest technological advances. His dedication to the safety of the citizens of Chatham-Kent is the result of the implementation of community policing and the restructuring of the Police Service to make it more efficient and effective. He will be hard to replace.”
Indicative of the above was the recent honour bestowed upon Chief Poole with his recent induction into the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, a highlight of his career.
The Board will meet in the near future to determine a replacement process and selection of a successor to Chief Poole. Bélanger added, “We thank Chief Poole for his dedication to public safety over almost 35 years in the policing profession, all of it spent in Chatham-Kent. He has made our community a safer place for its citizens. We extend our best wishes for a long, happy and healthy retirement.”
Original story:
Dennis Poole, the Chief of the Chatham-Kent Police Service, is retiring.
Poole announced his intentions to retire during the Chatham-Kent Police Services Board meeting this morning.
Poole started his policing career in 1980 as a constable with the Chatham Police Service.
In 1985, he was transferred to Criminal Investigations where he spent most of his career.
In 1987 he designed and implemented the Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers Program and in 1995 he became the officer-in-charge of Criminal Investigations.
When the Chatham-Kent Police Service was formed in 1998, he was named the Executive Officer to the Chief of Police, and in 2000 was promoted to the rank of Inspector.
In January of 2002 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Police and in January 2009 he was appointed as Chief of Police.
Committed to life-long learning, Chief Poole has attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Windsor and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario.
He is also a Certified Municipal Manager Level III, and a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Poole is a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, as well as past positions of Zone 6 Chair and Secretary-Treasurer.
He is also a member of the OACP’s Justice Committee and is a past member of the Community Policing Committee.
He is a member of the Military Institute of Windsor and “Delta Company” of the Essex & Kent Scottish Regiment, and is a Knight of the Hospitaller Order of St. John.
He is a past member and Past President of the Board of Directors of the Chatham-Kent Children’s Safety Village, a former member of the Board of the Chatham-Kent Cultural Coalition, and has volunteered with several community event committees over the years.
