New chief feels like a new recruit
Scott Gilbert brings 38 years of experience with Toronto police to new role with city police
The city’s new police chief was sworn in Wednesday in front of a packed house at the Ontario Court of Justice.
Scott Gilbert signed an oath of office and an oath of secrecy before Justice Stuart Konyer at the Simcoe St. courthouse.
Gilbert starts his new role at Peterborough Police Service on Monday. He’s the service’s ninth chief of police.
He’s replacing Murray Rodd, who served as chief for the last decade, and retired Thursday.
Gilbert is the former superintendent of Toronto Police Service 52 Division, which covers south of Bloor St. between Yonge and Spadina streets.
He attended the ceremony with his wife and three of his children.
After swearing in, Gilbert said the whole thing still seemed a little surreal.
“When I started in 1980 as a new recruit, I remember opening that box of equipment and trying to figure out where everything went – it feels the same way. It’s being a new recruit all over again,” Gilbert said.
Although the former superintendent will now be working in much smaller city than Toronto, he said it’s just as busy.
While Toronto faces different issues than the Electric City, there are still similarities between the two.
“Call volume is one of them and being able to deal with all the incidents that are reported – that’s just as difficult in Toronto as it is in Peterborough.”
The opioid crisis is another.
Although harm reduction – such as supervised injection sites – is important in dealing with serious addictions, that’s only one aspect in managing the crisis, Gilbert said.
There’s also the enforcement of drug dealers and the need for strong supports in the community for
addiction counselling and substance abuse.
“We struggle with that in Toronto and it’s all part of government being able to supply the right supports in the right areas so we can deal with these things in the community at the grassroots level.”
Peterborough came onto Gilbert’s radar several months ago when an officer called him looking for help with mental health issues and dealing with people in crisis in the community. Gilbert held the mental health portfolio with TPS.
He organized some ride-alongs for Peterborough officers with Toronto officers to see how Toronto cops managed people in crisis.
Not long afterward, the chief’s job was posted and Gilbert decided to throw his hat into the ring.
“I thought, with my experience, I’d be able to add some value to the community.”
Despite 38 years on the job with TPS, Gilbert isn’t planning on jumping into his new role with both feet. He said he need to learn the “Peterborough way” first.
“The Peterborough way is the way I need to adapt my way of thinking to and see what experience from Toronto I can add into that. But it’s mainly how can I better serve the community of Peterborough.”