New police chief eager to meet members and the community

He’s made a point of walking the building to find people in the nooks and crannies and has met with patrol team members.

He says he’ll be meeting with all the employees either individually or in a group to talk about their experiences with MHPS, and about things they think can be done better and things they think are already being done well.

Worden adds former chief Andy McGrogan and the inspectors have done an excellent job of running the service.

“So it’s not like I came here with a huge agenda of things we need to change,” he says. “There’s nothing that stands out to say we need to change this or that but in any organization, there are some things, practices, processes or whatever it might be within the organization that could use modernizing or changing or updating, those type of things.”

Along with meeting as many people in the police service as possible, Worden also wants to introduce himself to the community.

“I know there’s very few events that are occurring. People can’t gather in large groups so I’ll do the best that I can,” he says. “Obviously I need to meet with community associations and just the regular people. So if it’s walking down the street and getting the chance to walk with our beat team that walks downtown I intend to do that just to talk to the regular folk that are walking around Medicine Hat.”

Worden grew up in Medicine Hat and returns to the city after a 25-year career with the Calgary Police Service. His parents still live here, as does his sister, her husband and their children.

A small change of command ceremony took place Monday and if things open up in the spring a larger public ceremony will take place.

McGrogan took part Monday and will be invited to the larger ceremony as well.

“He’s done such an incredible job here. He’s so well-liked by the employees and by the community. It was an honour to be there with him and to take over his lead and to congratulate him for the work he’s done,” said Worden. “Over 40 years of service to the community. Two-thirds of his life he’s spent as an employee and a servant to Medicine Hat. It’s quite incredible so really it was a celebration for him as well.”

Worden worked with fallen Calgary officer

Medicine Hat’s new police chief got to know Sgt. Andrew Harnett well during their time together in the Calgary Police Service.

Worden says Harnett, who was killed in the line of duty on New Year’s Eve, was an amazing young man and will be missed.

“I told people the last couple of days that when you saw Andy coming towards you you just get a smile on your face because you knew you were going to have a great conversation. Such a passionate, I call him a young man because I feel like I’m an older man. Passionate young guy, really was the consummate professional. He was a police officer. He was what you look towards for what a police officer does and how he held himself and how he treated the public. He was really really an amazing individual and there’s no words that can express how much of a loss it was.”

He says the number of condolences Calgary Police Service has received since Harnett’s death is incredible.

“It’s a loss to the members who worked with him, knew him and of course law enforcement all over the country and all over the world. It’s an industry and it’s a people that have a calling together and it really is a sad moment in law enforcement.”

A formal procession was held for Harnett on Tuesday.

by Chris Brown

New police chief eager to meet members and the community

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