Ted Rodych, chair of the Medicine Hat Police Commission speaks to the media about the abrupt resignation of police chief Mike Worden (Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Police commission reacts to sudden resignation of chief

May 24, 2022 | 4:42 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The sudden resignation of Medicine Hat Police Chief Mike Worden has caught many by surprise. Worden has been in the top job for about 17 months and was officially sworn-in back in January 2021.

CHAT News has learned that he had informed his staff at the police station about his decision to leave on Friday. On Monday, the Medicine Hat Police Commission released a statement saying his departure was due to “personal and family reasons.”

Prior to coming to Medicine Hat, Worden spent 25 years with the Calgary Police Service.

Worden is currently on vacation and did not respond to our request for a formal interview.

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No one else at the police service has commented publically on his resignation, and police commission members we contacted deferred comment to chair Ted Rodych.

When pressed about the reason behind Worden’s sudden departure Rodych reiterated that it was due to “personal reasons.”

“He chose to move back to Calgary, that’s where he spends a great deal of time, and he just decided to go back to Calgary so we accepted and respected that decision,” he said.

Rodych added that while the commission does have questions about Worden’s resignation, another national search for a new police chief will be launched soon.

“Absolutely we are going to certainly try to determine why so sudden. But I mean we have to move forward, and we are going to go forward and start the recruitment process, and hopefully it never happens again, but we can’t control those things. Individuals have reasons why and we respect those decisions,” he said.

An exact date for Worden’s departure is expected to be announced soon.

In the meantime, Insp. Joe West has been appointed acting police chief.

The police commission is scheduled to meet on Thursday where they will determine the next steps.