William J. McCormack

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William J. McCormack was Chief of Police of the Metro Toronto Police from 1989 to 1995. He succeeded Jack Marks.

McCormack was born in Mauritius. He went to sea and was a civilian crewmember on a ship that ferried troops to and from Korea during the Korean War.

He is the son of a British Colonial Police colonel who was decorated with an MBE by the King for his work with prison reform and children's polio.

The younger McCormack served as a Constable in Bermuda before coming to Canada and joining the Metropolitan Toronto Police.

His tenure as police chief was controversial at times with regards to the media. At one point police charged Now Magazine, a frequent critic of his, with prostitution offences due to escort ads in the newspaper's classifieds. The charges were ultimately dismissed.

Despite a seemingly hot and cold relationship with some factions of the media, McCormack was held in high regard by his officers, and to this day remains arguably the most popular Chief of Police in the history of Toronto.