Police Chief Shawn DevineA promotion for North Bay’s Deputy Police Chief.

Shawn Devine becomes Chief on January 22nd, taking over for outgoing chief Paul Cook, who announced earlier this year that he would be retiring.

Cook says Devine won’t back away from challenges whether it be challenging police or coming up with different ideas for the community to think about when it comes to policing.

Devine says some of the key issues for him will be sustainability in policing, leadership and community trust and partnership. 

Board Chair Dennis O’Connor says Devine is “a well-respected police leader with years of experience serving the community, is a dedicated team player and devoted community volunteer with exceptional knowledge of the North Bay Police Service, its history, its policies and its challenges.”  

O’Connor goes on to say he’s pleased to be making the announcement on behalf of the board.

“We are confident that he will be successful in his new position and look forward to continuing the positive and productive working relationship we have had with him in the past.”

In a release, police offer more information about the city’s new police chief.

The North Bay Police Service hired Deputy Chief Shawn Devine as a Constable in 1988. It is where he has spent his entire policing career, working as a Detective Constable with the Street Crime Unit (1992 and 1996), as a Detective Constable, Criminal Investigations (1997), in the Emergency Response Unit (1995-2000), as a Sergeant (2005-2007), as an Officer in Charge, Court Section (2007), as a Staff Sergeant (2007-2012), as an Inspector (2012) and as Deputy Chief of Police (2012?present). He also served as Acting Chief of Police from June to September 2014.

During his extensive years of service, Deputy Chief Shawn Devine was seconded to the RCMP’s Integrated Security Unit for the planning and execution of the G8/G20 Summits in 2009, participated in an educational exchange with Sussex Police Hastings & Rother in England in 2004, was the Security Detail Liaison during Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s Liberal Caucus Meeting held in North Bay in 2003 and served on the North Bay Police Service’s Protection Unit during the Royal Visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in North Bay in 1997.

Known for his significant volunteer contributions with the Gateway Heritage Festival (1989-1993), the North Bay Heritage Festival & Air Show (1994-2004), the North Bay Heritage Festival (2005?2006), and North Bay Summer in the Park (2007-2008), Deputy Chief Shawn Devine was recognized with the Province of Ontario Volunteer Service Award and the Government of Canada Royal Canadian Commemorative Medal Volunteer Service in 2001. He has also served his community as a volunteer coach, sat on numerous committees and participated in numerous fundraising events.

Deputy Chief Shawn Devine graduated from Ontario Police College in 1988, holds a B.A. in Sociology from Laurentian University (1986) and continues to cheer for the St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Bears since he graduated from this North Bay secondary school.