New Chief Welcomed by Calgary Police...and Calgary?

There's a new sheriff in town...sort of...and he's ready to crack down on fentanyl and gang violence, though how he's going to go about it is anyone's guess.

Newly appointed Chief of the Calgary Police Service Roger Chaffin is a CPS veteran, having joined the force in 1986 and worked his way up the ranks.

Undoubtedly, a man with thirty-years experience serving our city, and who claims to have had no aspirations to the top leadership position, is preferable to someone whose political ambitions might influence his or her judgment on the job, but with an initial focus on the criminal aspects of key public health and social issues—fentanyl and gun violence—one wonders if the new boss isn't just the same as the old boss.

Chaffin promises to use new technology to get more done more efficiently, and also wants to make improvements to public safety—both laudable if somewhat obvious goals. These aren't

I for one would be more interested in hearing a detailed assessment of what he thinks needs addressing within the Calgary Police Service to lead to more effective ties with Calgary's communities, more crime prevention through outreach and social programs, and a reduced interest in harmless drug crimes with a greater emphasis on investigating less obvious crimes that cause more harm to the fabric of Calgary's society: corruption, pollution, white collar crimes, and so on.

I'm happy to congratulate Chaffin on his new position, but hesitant about how much real change we'll see during his tenure.