TORONTO -- Premier Doug Ford's government has announced a new provincial police commissioner, just five days after a friend of the premier's withdrew from the job.
A news release today announces Thomas Carrique, currently the deputy chief for York Regional Police, as the new commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.
On Wednesday, Toronto Police Supt. Ron Taverner withdrew after his appointment to the job touched off months of controversy and triggered an integrity commissioner investigation.
Taverner, 72, is a family friend of Ford and initially did not meet the criteria listed for the commissioner position -- the government has admitted it lowered the requirements to attract a wider range of candidates.
Carrique has spent his entire 29-year career with the York police and has worked in uniform patrol, criminal investigations, investigative services, traffic, marine, public order and the administration and operations branches.
The government says Carrique has been appointed to a three-year term starting April 8.
