Durham Police deputy chiefs Ryan Connolly and Chirag Bhatt will join the senior command team this summer, with both appointments taking effect on July 1.
Durham Regional Police announced that Connolly, who has already been serving as Acting Deputy Chief, will have the interim label removed. Bhatt will join the service from York Regional Police, where he has served as a superintendent.
The appointments followed a broad search and evaluation process for senior police leaders. Durham Police Service Board Chair and Ajax Mayor Shaun Collier said both deputy chief-designates have shown strong leadership throughout their policing careers and earned confidence from colleagues, communities and the board.
“Deputy Chief-designates Bhatt and Connolly have demonstrated exceptional police leadership qualities throughout their careers that earned them the trust and respect of their colleagues and their communities,” Collier said. “Their competence and character have now earned them the trust and support of the Police Service Board.”
Durham Police Chief Peter Moreira also congratulated the incoming deputy chiefs, saying their experience will strengthen the leadership group as the service continues shaping public safety plans for communities across Durham Region.
The recruitment process was organized by Boyden Canada and was designed to attract accomplished police leaders who could help advance a modern police service. According to the announcement, candidates were assessed in areas including community engagement, cultural transformation, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Connolly said he is grateful for the opportunity to continue serving as Deputy Chief of Police and will focus on supporting members of the service while strengthening public trust.
“Our region and our profession are evolving and with my command colleagues I am committed to develop and implement policing strategies to ensure that the DRPS achieves its community safety goals today and in the years ahead,” Connolly said.
Bhatt said he welcomes the next step in his policing career and the chance to work with DRPS members, community partners and residents across the region.
“I will embrace this new role with pride, humility and enthusiasm, and a firm resolve to support Chief Moreira and DRPS members in continuing to build a modern, accountable, community-centred police service that is a model across Ontario and Canada,” Bhatt said.
The appointments come as police services across Ontario continue to face pressure to modernize operations, improve community trust and respond to evolving public safety needs. In Durham Region, the new command members will help guide strategy, operations and internal leadership at a time of continued population growth and increasing demand for emergency services.
The deputy chief roles are among the most senior operational and administrative positions in the police service. They support the chief’s direction, oversee major service priorities and help connect frontline policing, community partnerships and long-term planning. For Durham residents, the appointments are significant because command decisions influence how the service responds to local safety concerns, staffing needs, accountability expectations and regional growth across Durham communities regionwide.
A formal swearing-in ceremony for the Durham Police deputy chiefs is expected to be announced at a later date.
