Police chief says he hasn’t decided whether to stand for another term
Edmonton police Chief Rod Knecht said he will reach a decision in the next month or two on whether to stand for another term.
“I’m still mulling it over,” Knecht told reporters after an Edmonton Police Commission meeting Thursday. “I’m getting closer to a decision, so I expect to be making a decision probably in the next month to six weeks.”
Knecht’s current contract ends in October.
He became Edmonton’s 22nd police chief on June 7, 2011, replacing Mike Boyd, a former deputy chief with the Toronto Police Service. In 2013, the police commission extended his initial five-year contract until the end of October 2018.
Late last year, he told media he planned to think about his future over the holidays and make a decision early in the new year. If Knecht wants to serve another term, the police commission and city council would have to agree to extend or negotiate another contract.
He said he still enjoys the job and has ideas for improving the service, but said chiefs have a “bestbefore” date.
Prior to taking the Edmonton post, Knecht served as senior deputy commissioner of the RCMP in Ottawa, the most senior uniformed police officer on the force. Before that, he was commanding officer of K Division, in charge of operations for 108 Alberta detachments.