b'in its history with its highest single-year total of homi-cides, shootings and robberies. This included the largest numberofroundsfiredduringasinglegangshooting WHEN CHANGE IS (over 100 rounds) in a community complex, leaving five injured and one killed. AN ELEMENT OF INNOVATION,At the same time, there was the added responsibility oflearningandpresentingahalf-billion-dollarbudget FLEXIBILITY THEN BECOMES toRegionalCouncil.Thiswasanaddedreminderthat themachinewasnotstopping.Withinweeks,that AN ENABLER.wasfollowedbycollectivebargainingandcontract settlements for PRP members with the Association(s) and Police Services Board. Concurrently, I had the pleasure of promoting approximately 30 Non-Commissioned Officers new team and communicating my vision was critical. To(NCOs) to keep up with attrition. Along with learning the learn, formulate a plan and share that vision for the futureorganization and introducing myself was the constant act meant first seeing over 40 uniform shift parades, visitingof making observations. My transition team helped docu-every area of the service, civilian and sworn of every rankment and record a top to bottom, grassroots to executive, within the first 90 days. SWOT assessment of the service.Interacting with more than 3,000 members is a difficultThese observations, combined with my own areas of task and involved a fulsome communication plan. Meetingemphasis, informed a roadmap for PRP. A full reorganiz-everyone was impossible. As such, the development ofation was introduced, rooted in a vision placing emphasis this communication plan for the new Chief was criticalon the front line, strategic innovation, and community to accompany my travelling road show. Whether in print,safety and well-being. written, video or via media interview, I ensured that theAs the execution of the plan was set to commence, samegoldenthreadsofmessagingwereconsistentlythe COVID-19 pandemic hit. No plan survives first con-heard by all, regardless of which medium they saw me.tact. Redeploying officers, enforcing emergency orders, AddingaPRPtransitionteamtocomealongsideme,separating the workforce, altering service delivery, and as a force multiplier during initial months, was critical.mostimportantly,stayinghealthyandsafeimpacted Surrounding myself with a cross section of civilian andtheplan.Suspendingorganizationalactivitiesmade sworn members to act as navigators and facilitators maxi- itimpossibletoexecutealloftheplannedinitiatives. mized on 10- to 14-hour days.Although no plan survives beyond the first contact, adapt-PeelRegionPolicepolicesoneofthemostdiverseability and flexibility are key to any strategy.populations in Canada. The plan required an acceleratedDespite the many impact factors, PRP moved forward approach to gain visibility and personally engage with keyduring the pandemic, hiring three new Deputy Chiefs and stakeholders within the regions 1.5 million population,promoting approximately 20 new Senior Officers. Further, inclusive of a large geographic areacontaining Canadasthe pandemic provided a platform to implement changes largest international airport. To say that the initial dayswhichpolicingwouldhaveotherwisemorecautiously andweekswereawhirlwindisanunderstatement.approached. In the view of many police leaders, there is However, as someone who feeds off these interactions,no reason to go back to the way some things were.each day was like a repeated round of speed dating for the executive team and myself: 5 a.m. start and 10 p.m.In the end, with no roadmap available, entering a new return home. I wished there was more time, knowingorganization is a unique experience for everyone. A new that there were always more people to see or people IChief has the ability to imbed her or his footprint into a had missed. police service and set things in motion. When change is At some point, being the new kid at school has its expiryanelementofinnovation,flexibilitythenbecomesan date. The ability for others to extend grace to you as youenabler. As you can see, not every plan survives beyond integrate and evaluate must come to an end. Being newfirst contact, but here at Peel Regional Police, we have is one thing. Being new and being responsible for whatsbeen able to see the successes of a 3,000-strong great next is something else. Fortunately, the vision was clear.team, with many more successes yet to come.However, no plan survives first contact.The Pressures Nishan Duraiappah is Chief of Police of Peel Regional Police Within weeks of coming to Peel and setting out my inte- and and OACP Vice-President. He began his career with Halton gration plan, we hit the peak of guns-and-gangs violenceRegional Police in December 1995.8 H.Q. Summer 2020'