Myron Demkiw Sworn In as the Toronto Police Service’s new Chief of Police

Today, the Toronto Police Services Board, assisted by the Toronto Police Service, hosted a Change of Command ceremony, in which Myron Demkiw, M.O.M. (Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces), was sworn in as the 25th Chief of Police of the Toronto Police Service.

This significant ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries and honoured guests, including The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, The Honourable Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario, Mayor John Tory, Acting Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, Ainsworth Morgan, present and past Board Members, outgoing Chief James Ramer and his family, and the new Chief of Police, Myron Demkiw, along with his family.

The formal event, which was preceded by a special smudging ceremony, featured a colour guard, a number of speeches, and the official swearing-in, which included the administration of the Oath of Office, and the Oath of Secrecy, administered by the Board’s Executive Director, Ryan Teschner. The event concluded with the ceremonial passing of the sword, from Chief Ramer to Chief Demkiw, signifying the official transfer in leadership.

In a special ceremony following the event, Chief Ramer was piped out of Police Headquarters in honour of his extraordinary leadership and sincere commitment to addressing issues of accountability, transparency and policing reform, and to deepening the Service’s relationships with the many communities it serves.  

Acting Chair Ainsworth Morgan said that, “in Myron Demkiw, the Board has found the exceptional individual who met our call – a renowned police leader, with extensive operational policing experience, who will lead this organization using a modern vision of community safety that is progressive and community-centred.”  He continued, stating that Chief Demkiw was the candidate who “possessed what members of communities across the City, along with our stakeholders, asked us for: a dedicated public servant and relationship-builder, committed to building and enhancing trust with the diverse communities we serve,” noting that the Board is extremely confident in Chief Demkiw, and very much looking forward to working with him.

Chief Demkiw said: “I am deeply honoured to be serving as the City of Toronto’s 25th Chief of Police. Although I have many priorities in my new role, my first is improving trust in our Service, and working with our communities to earn and maintain that trust. Secondly, under my leadership, we will accelerate police reform and the professionalizing of the Service, by continuing to collaborate with our communities to implement their recommendations and by exploring new opportunities to become the modern, community-centric Service our city deserves and expects. And as my third priority, I will continue to work with our members and residents, community organizations, government agencies, and our partners in law enforcement, to ensure that every resident, in every neighbourhood, is safe and thriving. I look forward to working with all of you – our communities, our partners, and all members of the Toronto Police Service – to make our city stronger, and the best and safest place to be.”

Mayor John Tory said: “I am thrilled to welcome Chief Demkiw to the helm of the Toronto Police, to lead the service into the future. These are challenging times for our city—for everyone including residents, businesses, and members of the service. Many have quite properly raised concerns about gun violence and community safety, and I am confident with his decades of experience and leadership, Chief Demkiw is the right person to be leading our police service to keep residents and communities safe. I would also like to thank Chief Ramer, who has been a steady and reliable leader throughout his over four decades of service, and particularly as Chief of Police since 2020—through some of the most challenging, unpredictable times in our city’s history.”

While the ceremony was not open to the general public due to space restrictions, the entire event can be viewed here: Toronto Police YouTube channel.

A Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (M.O.M.), Chief Demkiw has served as a Deputy Chief, as well as a Staff Superintendent, overseeing a number of important areas and units.

An integral member of the Police and Community Engagement Review (PACER) Team since its inception in 2012, Chief Demkiw provided senior leadership for the implementation of recommendations, championing the Service’s Fair and Impartial Policing© program, the Service’s Intercultural Development Program and active participation in the PACER Advisory Committee.

Chief Demkiw has also been a key architect in the Service’s renewed and comprehensive approach to preventing and dealing with gun and gang violence, an issue of key concern for Toronto residents. Under Chief Designate Demkiw’s and the Command’s leadership, a progressive, intelligence-led, and precise strategy has been developed, one that deftly and powerfully targets criminal elements, while respecting the communities in which they may be operating.

As a member of the Service’s Command team and with dedicated officers and civilians across the Service, Chief Demkiw has also been instrumental in helping to lead the Service’s significant efforts in police modernization and reform. He demonstrates a deep and sincere understanding that to truly serve and protect the public, policing must be done in meaningful collaboration with members of all of Toronto's communities.

Chief Demkiw helped to launch the Service’s response to the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Persons Investigations, led by the Honourable Gloria Epstein, Q.C., over a three-year period, setting the course for the Service’s role, cooperation and commitment to this ground-breaking work. 

In addition, Chief Demkiw is a well-respected policing leader in North America for his ongoing commitment to counter-terrorism and national security.

Today, Chief Demkiw is attending his first news conference in his new role as Chief at 2:00 p.m., to be live streamed on the Toronto Police YouTube channel.

Chief Demkiw’s headshot is attached. Contact Corporate Communications for a detailed bio.

 
Contact:          Sandy Murray
                        sandy.murray@tpsb.ca 
                        416-808-8090


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