Dan Kinsella, chief of Halifax Regional Police, announces retirement
Search for next chief of police to begin this fall
Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella has announced his retirement.
The chief announced at the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners meeting Wednesday that he will be stepping down effective Sept. 15 after 37 years in uniform.
An acting chief of police will be appointed by the city to oversee the transition, and a search for the new chief will begin in the fall.
Kinsella has been in the chief position since July 2019, after previously working as the deputy chief of operations at the Hamilton Police Service in Ontario.
"Serving as a police officer has been an incredible honour, and leading HRP in the role of chief has been a highlight of my career," Kinsella said in an address to the board Wednesday afternoon.
Kinsella said in his four years as chief, the HRP have faced "many challenges," while responding to calls for "accountability and progressive change in policing."
In a statement, the Halifax Regional Municipality's CAO Cathie O'Toole thanked Kinsella for his leadership.
O'Toole told reporters that Kinsella's retirement comes months before his contract is up in June 2024, but said she could not share details yet about when his salary will end as that is a personnel issue.
The city's compensation list shows Kinsella made $263,245.62 for the last fiscal year.
The board of police commissioners will manage the recruitment process for a new chief, and eventually make a recommendation to regional council, which will make the final decision.
O'Toole said the process usually takes up to six months, and is hopeful a new chief will be in place by March 2024.
At the board of police commissioners meeting, board chair Becky Kent also thanked Kinsella and his family.
"It's been nothing but challenging," Kent said. "We thank you and on behalf of the board and residents of the areas that we serve for your leadership throughout this difficult time."
Many issues will fall to new chief
Kinsella's tenure as police chief has been marked by challenges which will continue to be issues for his successor.
One of Kinsella's first major official acts was an apology in Nov. 2019 for the now-banned practice of street checks, which disproportionately affected Black citizens.
At that time Kinsella pledged to repair the relationship between police and community.
Less than a year later, the death of George Floyd — a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer — led to demonstrations in Halifax and increased discussions about how police interact with the Black community in Halifax.
Work on implementing the recommendations of the Wortley report that examined street checks continues.
Union loses confidence
Kinsella's leadership was not popular with police union members, who held a vote of no-confidence in the chief in November 2022. Then-president of the union Dean Stienburg said members felt morale was low and the workplace was hostile.
The service has problems with adequate staffing, which a recent report attributed in part to workplace injuries. The HRP has also had difficulty attracting members fast enough to replace officers who retire or resign.
After the meeting Wednesday, Darla Perry, the interim president of the union, said she found out Kinsella was retiring on Wednesday along with everybody else.
"Chief Kinsella's time with the Halifax Regional Police has been a trying time," said Perry. "It's a difficult time for policing and we wish the chief happiness in his retirement."
Examinations of policing
During his time as chief, Kinsella testified before the Mass Casualty Commission about the day a gunman killed 22 people across the province.
He told the commission he believed a public alert about the gunman should have been issued "much earlier" in the 13-hour event.
While the Mass Casualty Commission spent a lot of time examining RCMP actions, it also drew conclusions that apply broadly to all police services and many of its findings have yet to be implemented.
Another issue that will fall to Kinsella's successor is the results of a review of the eviction of people from homeless camps in city parks in Aug. 2021.
The new chief will also take over at a time when the city is examining what role policing will have in community safety, as plans for more civilian-led responses to mental health incidents and other issues are underway.
Kent said the April report on a transformation of policing, including possibly integrating the city's municipal police and RCMP, will be a good roadmap for the new chief.
"This is an opportunity to bring someone to the table that really is well-suited for transformation because we've made a commitment to transformation," Kent told reporters after the meeting.
"Nova Scotia is being watched carefully and HRM is being watched carefully due to the number of things that have happened over the last number of years. So policing is changing and we can be a leader in that."
Kinsella thanks family
In his retirement announcement, Kinsella thanked his family for their "undying support and love" and also thanked the families of his team members for being a "source of unconditional strength for them."
He alluded to the challenges of policing in the last few years, and said HRP members "served with patience and fortitude while demonstrating a commitment to learn and modernize as an organization."
Kinsella said he has confidence that recent "studies and engagements" will help policing in HRM to keep evolving.
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With files from Haley Ryan