New police chief appointed in Calgary

Chief Constable Mark Neufeld resigned today as head of the Calgary Police Service (CPS), bringing six years of dedicated leadership to a close. The Calgary Police Commission has appointed Katie McLellan as interim chief, effective immediately.

“Our Commission is grateful to Chief Neufeld for his many years of service, both in Calgary and other communities across Alberta,” said Amtul Siddiqui, Chair of the Calgary Police Commission. “He helped made great strides throughout his career in improving how police misconduct is addressed and guided the Calgary Police Service through some very tumultuous times. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.”

“It has been an honour and pleasure to serve Calgarians and to have done so alongside the amazing members, both sworn and civilian, of the Calgary Police Service,” said Chief Constable Mark Neufeld. “I am grateful for the warm welcome me and my family received from Calgarians when we relocated here, and for all the support we’ve received since. I have been very involved in the community over the past six years, and value the relationships that have been forged. I also value the strong support the CPS receives from Calgarians.”

“I wish the rest of the organization, nothing but success moving forward. I also want to thank the Calgary Police Commission as well as Council for their ongoing support of both the CPS and myself while I was Chief.”

Chief McLellan joined the CPS in 1987, spending the first 13 years of her career working in frontline areas. As she climbed the ranks, she spent time in investigative areas and was the first Inspector of the Criminal Operations Section. More recently, she has been a key leader in developing community partnerships and changing the way that police respond to people in crisis. During a break in her policing career, she gained experience working in security operations for international oil and gas exploration.

The Commission is confident that Chief McLellan will ensure a smooth transition, including minimizing any impacts to the G7 security planning and other key policing initiatives underway as Calgary prepares for a busy summer. Chief McLellan also has extensive experience working with community partners to address crime and social disorder in public spaces, making her a strong leader to continue this work.

Due to the significant events coming to Calgary this summer and to ensure stability during a time of high demand on the Service, the Commission will not be immediately starting a search for a new police chief.

“Our Commission fully supports and has full confidence in Chief McLellan,” said Chair Siddiqui. “We are looking forward to working with her on the issues that matter to Calgarians and challenges facing members of CPS.”