Police board defers decision to hire retired officer for new build

WATERLOO REGION — A move to hire a retired police inspector as a consultant to oversee construction of the new Kitchener police detachment was put on hold Wednesday.

A report presented to the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board recommended a plan to hire retired Insp. Doug Thiel at a cost of $180,700 over two and a half years. But board member Ken Seiling asked to defer the decision until the region hires an architect.

“It’s premature to go ahead,” said Seiling, who added that police should work with the architect first to find out what help is needed. The architect is expected to be hired at the end of the year.

Board chair Tom Galloway said it’s important to get police input during construction, but is there another option.

Renovating the former provincial courthouse at Frederick and Lancaster streets and turning it into the Kitchener police detachment is a 10-year project that will cost about $35 million. But officers will move into their new office from their current location on Frederick Street near Weber Street in three years.

The Region of Waterloo purchased the vacant building for the police last year for $6.4 million.

Police Chief Bryan Larkin said police have hired retired officers in the past. When the Waterloo detachment was built, retired Supt. Dave Mazurek was hired to assist with the project. “It was a tremendous success,” he said.

Larkin said it’s important to have an officer on the project to bring the perspective of the police service and its needs to the table. The report recommended hiring Thiel from May 1 to Dec. 31, 2020. The cost was based on 20 hours of work a week at $65 an hour.