The city’s new police chief – as of January next year – wants to ensure the St. Thomas Police Service continues to deliver services to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
Deputy Chief Marc Roskamp is a 25-year veteran of the St. Thomas Police Service and was appointed to that post in 2018.
Roskamp tells myFM the importance of the police service responding to the needs of the community.
Roskamp is quick to credit outgoing Police Chief Chris Herridge – who will retire in February of next year – and the chiefs immediately prior as role models and advises he will take pages from their playbooks.
There is added honour in Roskamp’s promotion to chief as his father retired as chief with the Chatham Police Service.
Since his appointment as deputy chief, Roskamp has looked forward to the day he would be at the helm of the St. Thomas Police Service.
Now that Roskamp will assume the role of chief in an acting capacity in January of next year, he says he is up for the challenge.
Insp. Scott Barnes, a 28-year-veteran of the St. Thomas Police Service has been appointed to the deputy chief’s position.
In other moves within the service, Insp. Steve Bogart is promoted to a Staff Inspector’s position; and a newly promoted Inspector will be Kim Manuel, the service’s first sworn female member of the administration team.
These new promotions will complement the existing administration including Tiffany Terpstra, Executive Administrator and Alison Barrie, Human Resource Coordinator.
While the wellness of the community is a top priority, the well-being of the men and women of the police service must not be jeopardized.
In announcing his retirement, Chief Herridge told myFM, “Professionally, we have such a talented leadership team organization and it’s time to give them an opportunity to take this organization even further than what has happened in the past five years during my time as chief.”
Written by Ian McCallum
