The Kingston Police Services Board didn’t have to look far for its next chief of police.

“I can truly say that I’m honoured to be selected as the next chief of police in the city of Kingston,” chief-designate Antje McNeely said after Kingston Police Services Board chief Andrea Risk announced the promotion on Thursday morning.

“The profession of policing continues to excite me. It’s a privilege for me to lead our members, both sworn and civilian, and I thank you for that opportunity.”

McNeely will become the 17th chief in the force’s 167-year history, and the first woman at the helm.

“I think it’s an exciting moment for Kingston Police,” Mayor Bryan Paterson said after the announcement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Antje in the deputy role in the last few years and I’ve always found her to be very knowledgeable, very competent, always very accessible.

“I definitely think she’s going to do a great job.”

She is also the first chief of police to be hired from within the organization since 1994. One of Chief Gilles Larochelle’s key directives when he was brought on in 2013 from the Ottawa Police Service was to develop Kingston Police’s senior leadership. Larochelle announced his retirement in July.

“She’s eminently qualified to be our new chief and we’re lucky to have her,” Risk said during her announcement.

McNeely started as a constable in 1985 after completing her bachelor of science degree at Queen’s University. Throughout her career she’s continued her education around leadership and management, and she focused many efforts on investigating and supporting victims of crime.

Early in her career, McNeely received many commendations for her dogged child abuse and sexual assault investigations. After the announcement, she said that her time as a detective in the sexual assault unit was a highlight in her career.

Her focus on investigating sexual assaults evolved in 2017 when she helped establish the External Sexual Assault Case Review Program. The program provides external, independent reviews of sexual assault cases investigated by Kingston Police.

McNeely said she is now focusing on a culture change within Kingston Police. She said she’ll be working to make the service a more inclusive environment and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health within the force.

“I really want to work on organizational resilience and individual resilience,” McNeely said. “Working with our own members, making us strong and resilient just makes us work better with our community.”

When she started in 1985, McNeely was one of four women on a force of about 75 officers at the time.

“It’s important, but this isn’t about being the first woman,” McNeely said. “It’s about being open to diversity and inclusivity. I think it’s a great challenge, it’s a great opportunity and it’s a great time to be a role model for my own girls and everybody else’s kids.”

Risk said McNeely’s gender has nothing to do with her appointment.

“We were looking for somebody who was the most qualified to lead the Kingston Police. She is the most qualified,” Risk said. “It was an easy decision. [We’re] building on the work that Chief Larochelle did in terms of making sure we have good internal leadership within our organization.”

McNeely serves on the Judicial Advisory Committee for East and North Ontario, is on the board of directors for the John Howard Society, is a campaign team cabinet of the 2019 United Way campaign, and volunteers at the Helen Henderson Care Centre.

The Police Services Board will now be recruiting a new deputy chief to replace McNeely. Risk said during the announcement that they will be promoting from within the organization to find a new second in command.

McNeely will be sworn in officially as chief on Nov. 30.

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