Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jul 2008
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 The Windsor Star
Contact: http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Doug Schmidt

NEW SUPT TARGETS DRUGS

Getting Guns Off Streets Also Focus For Vince Power

Sweeping hard drugs and guns from city streets will be a top priority
for the Windsor Police Service's new superintendent of
investigations.

Insp. Vince Power, who starts his new posting Aug. 3, promises to
"actively and aggressively search out these people" contributing to
some of the worst local crimes.

As elsewhere across the country, Windsor's overall crime rate is going
down, but crimes involving hard drugs, such as crack cocaine, and
firearms, particularly handguns, are bucking that trend.

Power, 43, born and raised in Windsor, has been a city cop since
joining as a cadet in 1985.

He replaces Supt. Dave Pickford, who is retiring at the end of the
month.

On Tuesday, Chief Gary Smith praised Pickford, a 31-year Windsor
police veteran, as a "hard worker with a great work ethic."

Power credited the reorganization of the department's investigation
services -- an effort led by Pickford -- for the recent "excellent
success" in tackling the problems associated with the proliferation of
guns and drugs.

While heavy in operational experience, with Pickford's retirement it
becomes a very junior crowd at the executive level of the Windsor
Police Service. Among the department's five top cops, only Ken
McFarland, with just over five years as superintendent, has more than
a single year's experience in his current job.

"Administratively, it's a bit of a challenge," admitted Smith, himself
appointed chief less than five months ago.

But he described the people now in place at the top as "very quick
studies."

Married with a teenaged son and daughter and involved in local
organized sports, Power has extensive experience in all aspects of
patrol and criminal investigation services. He will be in charge of
about 160 sworn personnel in 20 units, including the major crimes branch.

Pickford, who lost out to Smith earlier this year in the four-way
in-house competition to succeed former chief Glenn Stannard, joined
the Windsor police as a cadet in 1977 and achieved the rank of
superintendent six years ago.
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