Retiring Chatham-Kent Police Chief Dennis Poole sees a number of challenges ahead for the service despite the progress made over his 35-year career.
Poole points to better training for officers as a policing success story.
"I mean, we're looking for university degrees, college diplomas and certifications of trades people, so we have ramped-up our qualifications," says Poole. "Our training in Canada and certainly in Ontario, in my view, is second to none."
While police training has improved, Poole points to addressing mental health as a key issue in properly managing officers.
"We're dealing with the problems in society, we're dealing with violence, we're dealing with human tragedy and that wears on people day after day, night after night," says Poole.
Poole adds the cost of policing is a major challenge, but also the cost of public safety overall are key hurdles to get over in the coming years. His last day as chief is April 24.
