A familiar face has taken over the top spot at Belleville Police Services.

Surrounded by family, including his two sons who are also both police officers, Mike Callaghan, was officially sworn in as the new chief of police at a ceremony at The Banquet Hall in Belleville this morning.

Callaghan, a Belleville native who has been a police officer for 35 years, has been deputy chief since 2017 under Chief Ron Gignac. He has been serving as acting chief of police since Gignac went on leave in July; Gignac announced his retirement from the force last month.

In a ceremony that was part formal swearing-in, part celebration of a torch being passed, Callaghan talked about how honoured he was by the trust being placed in him by the city and the community.

“It is so heartwarming to have learned so much from so many great leaders of the past,” he said. “And I want to ensure that as we move forward we are keeping with our goal to make Belleville the safest community in Ontario.

“By the same token we want to make sure we are putting people and relationships first.”

Callaghan, who noted his policing family is sometimes referred to as “Real Life Blue Bloods,” – he has two older brothers who also served with police forces -- said moving forward his priority is on inclusivity and diversity.

He said the evolution of policing – which he said has changed more in the last decade than in the previous century – is based on inclusivity.

“That is everybody from our marginalized and diverse groups in our community to those who are experiencing mental and physical health challenges in our community,” he said.

“We have to make sure we are responding to the needs of the community and that we are responding to the community that is very very supportive of us and to ensure that we are addressing the needs of the community in a very effective and efficient manner.”

Callaghan was sworn in by Judge Steven Hunter who has been performing that duty in the city for almost three decades and who swore Callaghan in as an inspector and as deputy chief.

After saying and signing his oath, Callaghan was presented his new badge by his sons, Josh and Shamus, who are both constables.

During his formal remarks Callaghan took time to thank his wife Terry, without whom, he said, none of what he has accomplished in his career would be possible.

In a break of ceremony protocol, Callaghan invited Terry to the podium to thank her and presented her a dozen red roses.

Police board chair Jack Miller closed the ceremony by presenting Callaghan with the Belleville Police Service baton – officially “passing the baton” to the incoming chief.

Miller noted several times that when the board hired Callaghan four years ago to be deputy to Gignac, it envisioned the day he would someday be chief.

“We knew we were getting two very high caliber people for the jobs when we hired them,” Miller said. “We didn’t know what Chief Gignac’s plans were, but we knew when he decided to retire we would be in very good hands.

“Four years ago this was the plan; the fact it came to fruition just shows we made good choices in the people that we picked.”

Miller said the fact Callaghan had to spend four months – in very trying circumstances – as the acting chief served as a real-life job audition for the board and reiterated he was the right choice.

“It has been a pleasure to watching him work for the last four years,” Miller said. “He really got thrown into the fire when he was appointed acting chief, and it basically just underlined everything we knew about the man.

“Belleville is very fortunate that not only do we have some of his calibre to take over the position, but he is from here, he has family here… that is just kind of the cherry on top.”

Callaghan, who graduated from Loyalist College, joined the Belleville Police Service in 2015 after 30 years in law enforcement primarily in Ottawa.

Among his accomplishments, there were launching Ottawa’s Chemical Biological Radioactive Nuclear Explosive team and leading the implementation of the Direct Action Response Team.

He was also seconded to both Indigenous Services Canada and to the Department of Foreign Affairs, where he spearheaded security logistics for Canada’s G8 and G20 Conferences.

Since arriving in Belleville, he has been involved in numerous community groups, including being part of Belleville’s first Inclusivity Program. He also introduced the COPSHOP program in Belleville where police officers accompany and assist children Christmas shopping.

In 2019, he was invested into the Officers Order of Merit by Governor General of Canada Julie Payette.

On hand to welcome and pay tribute to Callaghan was Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk, MP Derek Sloan, and MPP Todd Smith as well as all members of city council except for Paul Carr who sent his regards.

As part of the ceremony, there was a moment of silence for Coun. Pat Culhane, who passed away last weekend.

After the ceremony, Miller explained the police service board, meeting next week, would begin the process of looking for a replacement for Callaghan.

He said the city has “a number of strong candidates” for the position currently on staff with the police; Inspectors Sherri Meeks and Chris Barry have been acting deputy chiefs since July.

“It will be a much more difficult decision finding a new deputy chief that it was finding a chief this time,” Miller said.

The Police Service Board is scheduled to meet Thursday at City Hall.