A Durham Regional Police deputy chief who was suspended earlier this year will not return to work and is retiring.
The Durham Regional Police Service Board made the announcement about Deputy Chief Chris Kirkpatrick on Monday.
Kirkpatrick was suspended over his alleged use of a “racially inappropriate term” during a meeting of the Afro-Caribbean Canadian Internal Support Network in February.
Read the full statement from the DRPS Board below:
After a thorough investigation by the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) and careful review and deliberation, the Durham Regional Police Service Board and Deputy Chief Kirkpatrick have agreed that their employment relationship be concluded.
Deputy Chief Kirkpatrick will not be returning to the workplace and is retiring from the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS).
The board has carefully reviewed the findings of the LECA investigation, which concluded that Deputy Chief Kirkpatrick’s actions constituted misconduct under the Community Safety and Policing Act.
As the civilian governing body of the DRPS, the board takes seriously its responsibility to uphold the public’s trust in policing. Ensuring that members of the leadership team are held to the highest standards of conduct is central to that responsibility.
The board remains deeply committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and culture, and to ensuring that the DRPS reflects and respects the diverse communities it serves.
These values are fundamental to how this service operates and how it earns the trust of the public every day.
Through all of its actions and decisions, the board will continue to strive to uphold the confidence, trust and support of the community in fulfilling its responsibility to ensure the provision of adequate and effective policing in Durham Region.
