N.S. news: First permanent Black Halifax police chief sworn in [Video]

HALIFAX –

After serving as interim police chief for more than one year, Don MacLean was sworn in as the first permanent African Nova Scotian chief of the Halifax Regional Police on Wednesday morning.

Speaking to a room of past and present Halifax police and RCMP officers, city councillors, and members of the board of police commissioners, MacLean spoke about the responsibility to build community and stay responsive to the needs of citizens.

“We can never lose sight that policing is ultimately about people. Trust is an invaluable commodity, and it is something we must all work on, whether it’s the people we serve or with each other. It is something we must never take for granted,” he said.

MacLean became acting police chief in September 2023 after former chief Daniel Kinsella retired.During his tenure, MacLean lead the force while it handled an increased volume of protests in Halifax, a growing unhoused …