| David Boothby | |
|---|---|
| Chief of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service | |
| In office 1995–1998 |
|
| Preceded by | William J. McCormack |
| Succeeded by | Position Abolished |
| Chief of the Toronto Police Service | |
| In office 1998–2000 |
|
| Preceded by | Position Created |
| Succeeded by | Julian Fantino |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1944 Keswick, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Residence | Toronto |
Chief David John Boothby, is the last Chief of police
of the Metro Toronto Police 1995-1997. Chief
Boothby has the unique distinction of being the first Chief chosen of the
newly crested Toronto Police Service.
Boothby was at the helm of the Toronto Police Service during the rise of Craig Bromell, who served as the police union's influential and powerful leader. Under Bromell's leadership, members of Boothby's administration were under constant pressure and scrutiny by union leadership.
Chief Boothby's social policies and political philosophies were not as hard line or stringent as some past chiefs of police, which resulted in his being embraced by some factions as a "reformer", while disrespected by others as being "too soft".
Chief David John Boothby, is the last Chief of police
of the Metro Toronto Police 1995-1997. Chief
Boothby has the unique distinction of being the first Chief chosen of the
newly crested Toronto Police Service. With Chief JDB at the helm, from
1999, onwards, Canadas largest local police force was able to usher in the
turn of the century with under the directorship of a man whose nimble
methodology and policing philosophy, flourished an operationally
stealthy cadre of markedly motivated officers who respectfully deferred
to Boothby's remarkable, balanced, and benign leadership style.
Chief Boothby's humble beginnings flourished an
inspirational family policing legacy, of whoms seeds were rooted in the small town of his birth [Keswick, Ontario]]. Chief Boothby
graced the then Metro Toronto Police in 1964 with his particular
style as a beat officer renown for being adept and well liked. In his tenure, he was then promoted to homicide detective in
1978, solving many high profile cases and forging a reputation for
being a trailblazer in the policing sciences with an uncanny intuition.
Boothby's rise to the top post in Toronto Police was seen
as a change from the management style of his predecessor William J.
McCormack. Boothby is widely viewed in the Toronto Police Service
as a very popular hands-off leader who let officers do their job and
his skill effected the restoration of trust of many officers who
experienced mutinous times past. Chief D. J. Boothby won widespread
acceptance of much of the changes so necessary to the forces long
term viability, earning him kudoos from the common man to the Mayor
himself Mel Lastman, who coined a much agreed upon public sentiment in his expression that "the city of Toronto has never been safer
then under Boothby."
David John Boothby was known to be a man of decisive
and time sensitive execution. He had an incisive ability to
generaste staff solutions in a time sensitive manner and do
that well. Notably, Chief Boothby has the unparalleled
distinction (due to his gracious and benevolent generosity),
of being the only Chief of Police in the history of Canadian Police Executive Command Posts to build a house of worship in
Police Headquarters from his own pocket. Chief Boothby's
generous church contribution in building a recluse of peace in the heart of Toronto Police shares deep parallels with his term in which he restored faith and balance in the forces relevance in the hearts and minds of thousands of officers who viewed him as a beacon of change from the pre-Boothby shisms and divisions he inherited.
Chief Boothby's munificsent selflesness brought
many in his audience to tears upon the night of his
shocking announcement of his decision to retire, much to the chagrin of his charge. His remarkable and endearing
selflessnes and humility that night (despite all he had achieved for Toronto and his widespread acclaim) can be encapsulates in his parting phrase "I came from a small town and was lucky just to be able to walk the beat.
This job owns me nothing." David John Boothby is a cops cop.
Chief Boothby is a man known to be graced with
superb judgement and vision. David John Boothby, the
father of Staff Sargeant John David Boothby will be
hallmarked and canonized in Canadian Police history
as cultivating and effecting the beginnings of Julian
Fantinos rise to what is seen in policing circles as the most powerful coup to power ever achieved for Officers of the Law in Canada, a Ministerial position in Ottawa. Boothby's wise choices in his term as
Chief up until his departure continue to impact Toronto Police to date in a resoundingly inspirational manner, making TPS an operational model whose architecture is emulated cross-continentally.
His execution of efficate policing methodologies
and rigours illuminate Toronto Police to this day, inspiring the generation of Officers under his charge as to what can be achieved under the directorship and emulation of the principles
of such a munifiscent Chief who has the
breadth of vision to blaze a legacy of policing
excellence impacting locally and federally with
Toronto Police at the highest cusp of its specialization.
Chief Boothby's abrupt retirement led the way for Julian Fantino (then the Chief of the York Regional Police) to attain the helm of the Toronto Police Service.
Since 2000, Boothby has been involved in various charities and local associations:
|
|
|||||