Words of wisdom for the new top brass,

Family, friends and colleagues offer words of support to Mark Saunders at the top cop’s swearing-in ceremony Wednesday:

Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders

“We have to ensure that our community engagements become smarter, surgical, that they are informed and guided by the latest and most accurate intelligence. That they are guided by the law. We will target our investigative efforts at the criminal elements where they will be most effective. We will do our best to minimize the social cost of our investigative efforts.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory

“Mark Saunders, I’ve come to see, understands the immense public trust which accompanies the new job that he officially takes on today. And he knows that maintaining that trust is not automatic, it’s earned. I am confident that his experience, both lived and in police service, combined with his balance, his sensitivity and his respect for the people of Toronto will allow him to be a police chief that we can all be very proud of.”

Alok Mukherjee, Toronto Police Services Board chair

“I have had the opportunity to work closely with Mark over the last several years, and I have always been impressed by his considerable recent expertise and his respectful leadership style. He is known as approachable and genuine.”

Former chief Bill Blair

“(Saunders) is a man of great integrity. He is a man of courage. He is a leader. He has demonstrated those characteristics and that strength throughout his entire police career, and I commend the (Toronto Police Services Board) for his selection, to take our police services forward.”

Horace Saunders, his older brother

“I was saying to the family as we were assembling to be here, I said 200 years from now, when somebody Googles on the chip that’s inserted behind their ear and a hologram presents itself in front of them, you might be represented there — Toronto’s first black chief. There certainly is a historical significance there.”

Walter Saunders, his 87-year-old father

“We’re so proud of our son, the entire family. Mark is a go-get-it son, from when he was a little boy. He would be doing things that made you wonder, does he know what he’s doing? But he knew what he wanted, and we watched him growing up and he never wasted any time. He was always doing something that was progressive.”

Graham Saunders, his 10-year-old son

“I think dad will actually do good for the police force, because he’s pretty strong, he’s honest . . . He’ll do great for this city.”