Retiring WRPS deputy chief describes career highlights and challenges
A community leader in Waterloo region is moving onto a new chapter.
After 33 years of service, Deputy Police Chief Shirley Hilton, who also oversaw the region’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, will retire this spring.
Hilton described her emotions as “elated”. She said she’s proud of her career, where she came from and where she’s going.
In 1990 Hilton began her career as a patrol constable in Cambridge with the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS).
Since then, she has taken on various positions, including homicide, drug enforcement, frontline patrol and investigations.
Hilton was named acting deputy chief between January and June of 2019 and eventually named deputy chief in 2020 – the first female to ever be acclaimed to the position.
Her passion for mentoring led her to help create a women in leadership network with the vision to commit to celebrating and shaping the future of women in policing.
“I would have to say challenging the status quo around women in policing, around our role in policing, has been probably my passion and my highlight,” Hilton told CTV News.
Throughout her career Hilton represented the police force at a number of national and provincial organizations.
Hilton also took on the role as lead of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force for the Region of Waterloo during the pandemic.
She said those times were challenging in a very uncertain time.
“It was kind of like a unicorn. We really didn’t know what the vaccine would look like,” she said.
She admitted it was an overwhelming position at first.
“But at the same time I felt that there is certainly responsibility from a broader perspective. ‘What can I do to assist in this crisis?’ Because we really truly were in a crisis,” Hilton said.
Hilton said her decision to retire ultimately came down to family and the flexibility to spend time with them and be there for them as they have been for her.
Hilton expects her last day at the end of May will be an emotional one.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.