As Lacombe Police Service says goodbye to one chief of police, it welcomes another.
At a well-attended ceremony on May 31, Chief Steve Murray was sworn in, replacing former Chief Gary Leslie at the helm of Lacombe Police Service.
In an address at his swearing-in ceremony Murray said he was eager to start his new position.
“While being a proud member of this community is exciting, standing at the helm of one of the oldest Alberta police services –and in my opinion one of the best – is even more so,” said Murray.
He also spoke of the successes of the Lacombe Police Service so far, citing the recent citizen satisfaction survey where 72% of those surveyed were satisfied with the LPS. He also said he is happy for the opportunity to continue the work of Leslie and build on his success.
“I am extremely proud of the work our team has done to earn the respect and trust of the community,” said Murray. “I am eager to continue to build on our heritage and to embrace our future as LPS continues to bring value to the community we serve.”
Police Commission Chair Tammy Gagnon said that Murray’s desire to build on Leslie’s successes and dedication to continuing excellence were some of the things that made the commission feel he was right for the job.
“The commission was particularly impressed with Inspector Steve Murray’s can-do attitude, his capable leadership style and his commitment to continuing the great work done by his predecessor to modernize the police service.”
Murray also stressed once again his belief that the best police services are integrated with the community. He said that the police service needed to “Engage our community as equal partners” in order to accomplish the goal of keeping Lacombe a vibrant community where people can work, play and live safely.
Murray began his career with the Lacombe Police Service as a constable in 1999. He has since risen through the ranks while obtaining a varied and extensive education in police leadership. Some of Murray’s achievements include earning a certificate in Technical Crimes Investigator from the Canadian Police College in 2002, a certificate in Police Leadership from Dalhousie University in 2007 and a Certificate in Executive Police Leadership from Harvard/University of Ottawa in 2010.
Murray has also spent time conducting undercover investigations in the areas of technological crime, cyber-crime and major crimes. He has training and experience in emergency preparedness and disaster response and has also delivered the DARE program to Lacombe’s children throughout his career.