Stratford police cruiser. (BlackburnNews.com file photo)Stratford police cruiser. (BlackburnNews.com file photo)
Midwestern

Stratford Reveals Permanent Deputy Chief Of Police

The City of Stratford has a new permanent deputy chief of police.

Acting Police Chief Gerry Foster has been named the new deputy chief after a successful 10-month appointment as acting chief.

Foster started as a military police officer with the Canadian Armed Forces in Trenton in 1990 before joining Stratford Police Sevice as a constable in 1995. Foster has served a number of roles including training officer, Stratford Police Association president, acting sergeant and officer in charge of the emergency response unit. In 2009 he was promoted to sergeant, and the inspector in charge of the Operations Branch of the Stratford PoliceService.

Foster was named acting chief in 2017 after Chief Mike Bellai retired. Foster will begin his new role on October 8 of this year.

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(left to right) SPS Deputy Chief Michael Van Sickle and Acting Chief Mike Federico. June 25, 2026. (Photo by Natalia Vega)

SPS turns off comments

SPS Board Chair Kelly Ash said the decision followed discussions with Acting Chief Mike Federico and aligns with practices at other police services.

(File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dehooks)

Scoreboard, June 26

The Toronto Blue Jays dropped their third in a row Thursday, 6-5 to the visiting Texas Rangers, and the Detroit Tigers suffered a 2-1 loss to Houston.