NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH POLICE SERVICE
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At the meeting of the Guelph Police Services Board on Dec. 7, 2017, board members re-elected Don Drone as chair and Judy Sorbara as vice-chair for 2018. Both positions are for a one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2018. The meeting also saw board members named to the various committees.
A board member since March 2015 and appointed by the Provincial Government to serve until April 2020, Don Drone became chair in Jan. 2017. He recently retired as executive director of the Ontario Educational Services Corporation (OESC), a non-profit organization jointly owned by all School Boards in Ontario serving 72 school districts. Prior to this, he was director of education and chief executive officer of the Wellington Catholic District School Board.
Judy Sorbara was appointed by the Provincial Government in June 2010 and served as chair for a period of six years until 2017 when she handed the torch to her colleague, Don Drone and took the position of vice-chair. After serving as the principal of Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute for 10 years, Judy retired in 2008. She is also a board member of the United Way of Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin.
Both individuals are very actively involved in all of the Board committees and represent the board at many outside functions, not only for the Guelph Police Service, but for the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards and Guelph Community events.
Chief Jeff DeRuyter commented that “the Guelph Police Services Board plays an important role in the provision of policing services in our community. I am appreciative of the leadership and support of the board in carrying out their responsibilities and I look forward to working with them in the coming year.”
The Guelph Police Services Board is a five-member board: two members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, one member appointed by Municipal Council who is not a member of the Municipal Council, and two members of Municipal Council. Don Drone and Judy Sorbara are the provincial appointees, Mayor Cam Guthrie and Councillor Christine Billings (Ward 4) are City Council members, and Len Griffiths serves as the member appointed by Council.
The Guelph Police Services Board appoints members of the municipal police service and determines the objectives and priorities for the provision of policing services in the municipality in consultation with the chief of police. As a civilian oversight body, the board has general superintending authority over the municipal police service through policy development and specific administrative tasks, but not the day to day operations. The board is responsible for developing the operating and capital estimates for the police service which are ultimately approved by Council. The board, as the employer, is also responsible for collective bargaining with the police associations and other labour relations matters.
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