Police Pioneer Set to Retire

(BRAMPTON)– Mr. Larry Button, the first Chief Administrative Officer in the history of the Peel Regional Police is retiring effective December 31, 2007, says Mr. Emil Kolb, Chair, Regional Municipality of Peel Police Services Board.

“I’ve been planning for the past number of years for my retirement,” says Mr. Button.

“The timing seems right now, given the strength of leadership under Chief Metcalf and the team he has put in place. It’s never an easy decision. But I have great faith in this organization, and I will always be proud to have my name associated with the Peel Regional Police.”

“Larry, in my view, defined the role of CAO in policing, not just for Peel, but the entire country,” says Mr. Kolb. “When he started out in 1989, it was rare to see a senior civilian with his scope of responsibilities in a police service, essentially that of a civilian deputy chief of police. Larry made of a success of it, in large part because of his consummate professionalism.”

Chief Michael Metcalf says, “I knew Larry was planning on retiring before I became Chief. One of my first stops was to see him and I really appreciate that he was willing to postpone his retirement to support me in my new role.”

Chief Metcalf says Mr. Button’s depth of knowledge and experience will be difficult to replicate. “Larry served with every Chief of Police in our history, save and except Doug Burrows. Even then he was Regional Clerk and had a detailed knowledge of our budget and operations.

“I know every member of the police service joins me in wishing Larry a well-deserved and well-earned retirement.”

Mr. Kolb says Mr. Button has a long and distinguished career of service to the residents of Peel. He commenced employment in the Regional Clerk’s Department in 1975 and became Regional Clerk in 1979. In 1989, he joined the Peel Regional Police as Assistant Administrator and became Chief Administrative Officer in 1990.

Mr. Button is a member of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, and sits on its Training Committee, as well as being a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and its Human Resource Committee. Beyond Canadian borders, Mr. Button was the sole Canadian representative of the Standards Review Committee for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) from 2003-2005 and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Mr. Kolb says Mr. Button’s most impressive accomplishment was with his own police service, as he oversaw the growth of a police budget from $92 million to $266 million, while at the same time maintaining the financial flexibility to execute strategic projects such as the construction of the Emil Kolb Centre for Police Excellence and the introduction of a new generation of Mobile Data Units for police vehicles.

Mr. Kolb says the Board will consider a transition plan to replace Mr. Button in the coming months.

The Peel Regional Police is the second largest municipal police service in Ontario, with a complement of 2,511. It provides police services for the cities of Brampton and Mississauga, and under contract, to Pearson International Airport.

For further information: Frederick Biro, Executive Director 905-458-1340.