Berrigan's career bountiful

George Berrigan has had a “bountiful” career working in a "wonderful" community, but “it’s time to move on,” he says.

Berrigan confirmed Thursday he will be retiring from the North Bay Police Service after 30 years of service, the last five as chief.

“I would like a new challenge, to try something different, perhaps something like politics, or maybe look for another job,” Berrigan said.

He’ll have to do something, he added, “since my wife Liz said I’m wrong if I think I’m going to be following her around all day.”

Chairman's dream
Born and raised on Ann Street in North Bay, Berrigan joined what is now the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service in 1972 and spent two years there before being hired as an officer back in his hometown.

He moved up the ladder over the years, becoming deputy chief in 1997 under then chief Ron Nagle.

Berrigan took over the reigns in 2000 following Nagle’s retirement and signed a five-year contract that expires in March.

“George Berrigan is a police board chairman’s dream and he was a true joy to work with,” said former police services board chairman Colin Vezina.

“George is a professional with a capital P, and has always been a credit to the police service.”

Vezina was chairman of the board when Berrigan was appointed chief.

“He had demonstrated his potential when he was deputy chief under Ron Nagle, and it became obvious he had the many and varied qualifications needed to be a good chief.”

Cares about people
Berrigan said policing hadn’t been his first vocational choice and opted for mining instead. He studied at the mining school in Haileybury.

“I ended up working for Inco and Noranda and digging some ditches,” Berrigan said, “and decided it wasn’t for me, so I joined the Toronto police department."

Berrigan said his sense of right and wrong and empathy for victims of crime are what led him into policing.

Those are traits, Nagle said, which Berrigan carried with him his entire career.

“He cares about people and not just people on the street but his people within the service and that’s what makes him a good man, a good police officer, and a great chief,” Nagle said from his home in Alliston, Ont.

Many accomplishments
Ironically, Berrigan said, he hadn’t considered seeking the top job and was originally content to stay deputy chief until retirement.

“But I spoke to Colin, who encouraged me, and to Sgt. Tarini, who gave me the endorsement of the police association, and there was all sorts of encouragement from inside the building,” Berrigan said.

Reflecting on his long tenure, Berrigan said there are many accomplishments he’s proud of, particularly helping to establish a recognizable identity for the service.

“This was done by getting us a logo and flag and coat of arms,” Berrigan said.

The third floor of police headquarters was also built under Berrigan’s leadership.

“We were lifting steel beams while our dispatchers worked,” he said.

Advances were made during the same time with the service’s information technology, including mapping the city out digitally.

Berrigan is proud too of the police work he did in the 1990 case of Dr. Chickmagular Mohan, a North Bay paediatrician charged with four counts of sexual assault on four of his female patients, aged 13 to 16.

Mohan appealed his conviction all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, where he lost and was ultimately deported to India.

Less than cooperative
On the other hand there are cases Berrigan investigated that trouble him still, particularly the 1986 murder of Guy Parise, whose body was found behind the Davedi Club.

“It was never solved and I feel somewhat guilty because I believe there are people out there who know things but wouldn’t come forward,” Berrigan said.

“And those people were less than cooperative too during the investigation.”

Two years ago Berrigan had the investigative tables turned on himself after a local resident filed a complaint against him through the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services.

The complaint was withdrawn, but Berrigan remains critical of OCCPS which, he says, "has no accountability."

"Respect of my peers"
While he’s a huge football fan renown for his love of the Buffalo Bills, Berrigan will leave the job in April hitting a home run.

A recent Statistics Canada report showed North Bay’s 2002 crime clearance rate—the most recent data available—to be the highest in the country for cities in its population category.

“What makes me the most proud, though,” Berrigan said, “is that I’ve earned the respect of my peers.”

Community well served
North Bay Police Services Board chairman William Ferguson said Berrigan has done an “outstanding” job as chief and will leave “some big shoes to fill.”

Ferguson alluded to Berrigan’s management of the police budget.

“It has been kept, I think, in fair check, and if you look at other services in Ontario and across Canada by comparison, we’ve done very, very well,” Ferguson said.

Statistics also show that violent crimes and serious offence have decreased during Berrigan’s watch, Ferguson said.

“And morale has been very good in the service, and the community very well served,” Ferguson said.

“George is also the consummate professional and it’s been an honour for me to serve with him.”

Sgt. Mike Tarini said the North Bay Police Association will be "sa to see him go."

"He was definitely a people person and our members respected him for his very strong interpersonal and communication skills," Tarini said.

"I've been here for 23 years and have worked for four different chiefs and George has certainly been the best."