THE Abbotsford Police Board on Tuesday announced the appointment of Victoria Police Deputy Chief Constable Colin Watson as the new Chief Constable of the Abbotsford Police Department. He will assume the role from retiring Chief Constable Mike Serr on November 15.

Colin, who has served with the Victoria Police Department for more than 26 years, holds a Masters of Laws from Osgood Hall Law School, a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Texas, a Bachelor of Arts focusing on Criminology and Administrative Studies, and a designation as a Chartered Professional in Human Resources.

He brings with him an impressive background of policing expertise, including a comprehensive and unique range of leadership, management, and supervisory experience, both operationally and administratively.

“AbbyPD [Abbotsford Police Department] is dedicated to supporting a growing and diverse community that is safe, inclusive, and connected and I am confident that Chief Watson’s extensive experience in policing, as a practitioner and leader, along with his progressive and collaborative approach will serve the department and community well,” said Ross Siemens, Abbotsford Mayor and Police Board Chair.

“I am honoured to be selected to lead the highly reputable Abbotsford Police Department and serve the City of Abbotsford.” said Watson. “I am excited to meet the AbbyPD staff, connect with the community, and build on the policing excellence already in place in Abbotsford. One of my objectives will be to ensure that decisions made by senior leadership serve to guide and support officers and staff working first-hand with the community.”

The Board began a robust search process in March for a new Chief Constable. This search was led by a third-party professional search firm and drew the attention of several candidates, provincially and nationally.

“The Board was very pleased with the caliber of well-qualified police leaders who expressed an interest in leading the AbbyPD police officers, civilian professional staff, and volunteers. The AbbyPD has an excellent reputation, and we are confident that Chief Designate Watson will lead the department into the next chapter of progressive policing, while staying strategically aligned to the ever-demanding public safety priorities of our growing and diverse community,” said Siemens.