.png;w=960)
North Bay's Police Chief says he has some unfinished business to attend to.
"Last year as my contract came to an end in 2022, we have a number of projects on the go within the police service," said Scott Tod, North Bay's Police Chief who recently signed a one-year contract extension with the North Bay Police Board.
"Things that I committed to as a deputy and as a chief over my seven years here; things that I would like to see completed before I leave."
See related: Police Board extends Chief Tod's contract for another year
Tod has served as chief since 2019. Prior to that, he served as deputy chief from 2016 to 2019.
Previously, he served as Deputy Commissioner, Investigations and Organized Crime for the OPP from 2010 to 2015. He originally joined the OPP in 1982 after serving for several years as an officer in the Canadian Forces, Maritime Command.
Tod admits some of his priorities got held up due to COVID-19 as well as supply chain issues.
One of those projects that has dragged along through the pandemic is police body-worn video.
"The body-worn video project was certainly impacted by COVID-19," admitted Tod.
"That is one project I would like to see complete and running smoothly across the North Bay Police Service. The benefits of the body-worn video have been discussed openly. It's about transparency, trust, officer accountability, and also public accountability in capturing the incident and what occurred at the incident so we can prepare evidence for court with the best evidence possible and also capture some of the good work our officers do in the vast majority of the situations we are involved in."
Another priority is a modernization project within the workplace.
"We want to try to move the workplace along into being a very modern workforce in understanding the principles of things at work that we deal with in regards to human rights," noted Tod.
"Especially in the priority that we have in equity, diversity, and inclusion within the workplace and how important that is to be a successful and sustainable police service.
"This is why when my contract came to an end the board and I had a discussion about the future. I committed to a one-year contract in the police service to support those projects as they move along. I felt it was something I owed to the Board and something I owed to the Service."
Tod admits he also has a huge passion for policing
"I see policing as a craft and every year I spend in policing I believe it is an opportunity to refine my craft as a police officer to be better," he said.
"Although I do understand there is an expiry date on me, right now I still feel passionate about making change and improving the police service and being held to a higher level of accountability and getting trust from the public."
