'Listen, learn and improve': New Regina police chief excited for upcoming role
Regina’s new Chief of Police Farooq Hassan Sheikh says he is excited to be part of an affordable, diverse and growing city.
Sheikh spoke to members of Regina’s media virtually on Wednesday from Edmonton and mentioned the in-depth search Regina Police Service (RPS) and the Board of Police Commissioners conducted as something that impressed him.
“I want to listen, learn and strive to improve,” Sheikh said. “I want to be open and honest and when we make mistakes and we will [we need to] accept it and agree to it rather than be in denial,” he added.
Sheikh said it’s his hope that when people call the police at their very worst they can be at their very best.
Sheikh comes to Regina after serving as chief for the Alberta Sheriff’s Service since 2021 and also has extensive experience in policing in the United Kingdom.
He also holds a master’s degree in criminology, something Sheikh said he hopes to put to operational use to help address issues Regina and other cities across Canada are currently facing.
For Sheikh some of those problems include social issues, homelessness, mental health, addictions and drugs.
Sheikh said he feels they are large issues that police can’t tackle alone – adding they need to be in collaboration with social services, mental health leads and other strategic partners like housing providers.
Sheikh’s first day as Regina’s 15th Chief of Police will be Dec. 1.
“I’m passionate about being a police officer so when they told me I got the job I was so happy and just wanted to tell everybody but I couldn’t tell anyone until it was official,” he explained.
“But really excited and looking forward to the opportunity.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Nanos survey says most Canadians support expansion of Old Age Security benefits, but economic experts call it 'terrible policy'
Amid new polling indicating most Canadians support boosting Old Age Security benefits by 10 per cent for seniors aged 65 to 74, a former Liberal finance minister and former Bank of Canada governor are warning the government not to pursue the policy change.
Tax rebate: Eligible Canadians to receive GST/HST credit payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.
WestJet ordered to reimburse B.C. passenger for hotel, despite claim bill was 'excessive'
WestJet failed to convince a B.C. tribunal that a woman whose flight was delayed for three days spent an "excessive" amount on a hotel room, and the airline has been ordered to pay her full bill.
Israeli airstrikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut and cut off a key crossing into Syria
An Israeli airstrike has cut off a main highway linking Lebanon with Syria, leaving two huge craters on either side of the road.
These Ontario condo owners say they are facing special assessment of $70K
The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.
Dozens of zoo tigers die after contracting bird flu in southern Vietnam
More than a dozen tigers were incinerated after the animals contracted bird flu at a zoo in southern Vietnam, officials said.
REVIEW 'Joker: Folie a Deux': A study in fantasy, obsession and the ordinariness of evil
CTV's film critic Richard Crouse says 'Joker: Foli a Deux' is a study in fantasy, the ordinariness of evil, and obsession.
Garth Brooks accused of rape in lawsuit from hair-and-makeup artist
A woman who says she worked as a hair-and-makeup stylist for Garth Brooks alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday that he raped her in a Los Angeles hotel in 2019.
W5 Investigates The privilege of the passport: The difference between an expat and a migrant
In this fifth instalment of her series documenting migrants and their arduous journeys, Avery Haines reunites with a family CTV W5 first met while they were making the dangerous crossing through the Darian Gap six months ago.