London's move to hire a 'change' police chief won't be easy

Former Toronto Police Services Board chair AlokMukherjee says London's move to hire a police chief able to spearhead serious reform won'tbe an easy task.

AndMukherjee should know.

Not only did he face a similar job during his 10-year term in Toronto, he literally wrote the book on it.

"Getting change through a police chief hire, it is quite difficult, there's no other way to put it," said Mukherjee, who last year published his bookExcessive Force: Toronto's Fight To Reform City Policing.

The book lays bare the struggles Mukherjee encountered while heading the body that provides civilian oversight of Canada's largest municipal police force.

His book documents all the struggles, everything from resistance from police leaders and unions, to political interference, while trying to modernize and streamline the force.

He says counting on a chief to bring change is a laudable goal, but a tricky proposition in practice.

"A police chief as change agent needs to bring a variety of skills that are not typical, conventional policing skills," he said."They need skills in strategy,relationship buildingandunderstanding of the sensitivity of the rank and file. And patience."

That's the kind of candidate Mo Salih head of London's Police Services Boardsays he's seeking in a new chief after John Pare announced his retirement on Friday. Salihalso said this week the board wants a candidate willing andable to shake up the status quo.

Mukherjee says this often means traits like a willingness to reverse spiraling policing costs, reach out to marginalized communities and move away from an enforcement model of policing and a reliance on uniformed officers.

Salih has said a third-party company will likely be hired to find the right candidate and applicants from outside the force's ranks will be considered.

During Mukherjee's term, Toronto's Police Services Board began a global searchfor a new chief after deciding not to renew Bill Blair's term in 2014.

Asin London, there was a stated interest in bringing in reforms in Toronto.

The search came down to two internal candidates, both deputy chiefs with impressive policing resumes: Mark Saunders and Peter Sloly.

Sloly,Mukherjee's choice for the job, was considered the change candidate. While Saunders was known as more of a "cop's cop" inMukherjee's words.

In the end Saunders got the job, a resultMukherjeewrote in his book that had as much to do with politics as it did with policing. Saunders as chief was more saleable than Sloly, who was younger and outspoken.

"The factor that played a decisive role was political considerations," saidMukherjee. "The whole question of acceptance of the chief by the rank and file."

Mukherjee points out that outsiders hired to head police forces often can struggle to getbuy-in. The high-ranking officerswho were interested in the job are often not keen to serve a chief they believe was parachuted in to the detriment of their careers.

"One of the biggest barriers is the prevailing culture of the organization," saidMukherjee. "All of our police services consist of longtime employees. Typically they come in at a young age, they move up the ranks and form strong allegiances, all of that has an impact on the chief's ability to act decisively."

On the other hand, a new face with no loyalties can arrive witha freer hand to makechange.

"There really is no easy answer," saidMukherjee.

Pare is due to depart in late June, though this week Salihsuggested the board may be willing to hire one of the deputy chiefs on an interim basis to fill in until a successor is found.

Mukherjeesaid it's a decision that will shape the force for years to come.

"Itis one of the most difficult responsibilities of a police board," he said.