He's certified

North Bay Police Chief Paul Cook was presented with his Certified Municipal Managers award during the police board’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday.

Cook says the certification took about a year to complete and is a thorough review of a person’s abilities and scholastic achievements to meet the qualifications requirements.

“The Ontario Municipal Manager Institute and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police partnered up and came up with a certification program for police leaders in the province,” explains Cook of the award.

“So basically it consists of a file review whereby I had to fill out an application outlining all of my experience both as far as academic experience as well as work related experience and is scored accordingly ... depending on your formal education and your work experience in particular leadership, management. They look at HR management, change management, budgeting, and those types of things and then they score it all up and if you achieve the level that you are supposed to then they recognise you accordingly. It’s something that is new to policing within the last year.”

“I think it is just like most certifications it just lets everybody know out there that I am accredited, “he says of the designation.

Police Board Chair Peter Chirico says the certification is more than just another piece of paper.

“He undertook it upon himself to further his education and it took him approximately a year to complete these courses and it certainly shows his commitment to the police service and looking at best practise throughout.”

“So we are very proud of the Chief and we wanted to congratulate him today with his award.”