Chatham-Kent’s chief of police says there are serval variables that have contributed to an ongoing exodus of police officers from the local police service.
Chatham-Kent Police Service Chief Gary Conn said 28 officers have retired or resigned from the service in just the last two years. As well, two other officers were terminated from their positions earlier this year.
Conn called the situation “unprecedented.”
“It has been a very difficult and challenging time for our service [and] for policing in general,” said Conn. “We’re making a concerted effort to recruit and we’re drawing all from the same pool. It’s challenging to recruit qualified recruits and there is a multitude of variables as to why that is.”
Conn attributed the recent retirements to aging police service members from the Baby Boomer generation and Generation X. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of Black Lives Matter, the defund the police movement, and MeToo have all been contributing factors to the current staffing issues in policing.
“All of this, compounded with the emerging challenges in police services across Ontario has ultimately resulted in facing shortages of quality recruits,” said Conn. “We need to do a better job of rebranding and remarketing our profession.”
Conn added that another four officers resigned from their positions just this year for family reasons or to move to another job.
“It is very rare we see somebody resign until they retire,” he said. “These are not junior recruits, these are experienced officers who just… had enough.”
Conn said the negative narrative associated with the profession of policing and constantly being under the microscope can also contribute to officer turnover.
“We have an increase in our rank and file of people suffering from operational stress injuries. Our profession is stressful to begin with, but certainly the last few years, with everything that has transpired… that just compounds to the stress,” he said.
Conn added CKPS currently has seven officers training at the Ontario Police College and the police service is looking to fill another seven positions, as well.