After a nationwide search, the Windsor Police Service Board has named Jason Bellaire as the new chief of police.
'There was widespread comfort around the board that he is the right candidate at this time and we have full confidence in him and his ability to serve in the top role for the Windsor Police Service," said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.
Chief Bellaire has been with the Windsor Police Service for 27 years. He's been acting in the chief's role since Chief Pam Mizuno retired in March.
"If you'd have asked me years ago that I would have ended up in this position, I would have been very, very surprised. I was always proud in the work I was involved in but I never thought that I would actually elevate to this position," said Bellaire. "It's such a privilege it's actually hard to explain."
Chief Bellaire's five-year term takes effect on December 1, 2022.
He says his top priorities are community collaboration, shifting the internal police culture, and addressing the mental health crisis in the community.
"My biggest challenge is that nexus between issues that we have in the community that are rooted in social and health issues and police response to those. What we really want to do is reduce police interactions with individuals who are better served by other subject matter experts," said Bellaire.
Bellaire will lead the over 600 employees of the Windsor Police Service in Windsor and Amherstburg.