Ryan Gauss elected chair of London police board

Ryan Gauss has been elected chairperson of London’s police board.

Gauss, longtime chief of employees to London Centre Liberal MP Peter Fragiskatos, replaces Ali Chahbar, who resigned from the board this month, citing private well being causes.

Board member Nancy Branscombe nominated Gauss to turn out to be chairperson of the seven-member board that oversees policing within the metropolis at its Thursday assembly.

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The board unanimously elected Gauss, who was appointed to the civilian oversight physique in 2023 and served as vice-chair earlier than changing into interim chairperson two weeks in the past.

Branscombe, a former metropolis councillor named to the police board in 2022, was elected vice-chair.

Gauss thanked his colleagues and praised his predecessor’s imaginative and prescient and work ethic.

“He’s a exceptional human being and he gave his entire self to this job. It’s a very, very time-consuming position and also you’ll by no means discover a more durable employee than Ali Chahbar,” Gauss stated. “And the progress he has helped drive at this board, I can’t correctly put into phrases.”

Chahbar, a lawyer whose father additionally chaired the police board, oversaw the most important police finances improve within the drive’s historical past when council accredited the four-year, $672-million police finances – that’s $168 million yearly – final 12 months. The record-setting finances was a part of a joint push by police brass and the board to modernize the drive and alter the way it delivers service to the group.

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Chief Thai Truong congratulated Gauss for taking up a job involving “numerous work that the general public doesn’t see.” He additionally thanked Chahbar for his service and steerage.

“Ali was a person of true character, arduous work, and a part of the connection I had with Ali was not solely was he offering me with the help as chair, however he was additionally offering numerous help from a personal-level participating management,” stated Truong, who turned chief in 2023.

The board will maintain its subsequent election for chair and vice-chair at its first assembly in 2026, as required beneath the Group Security and Protecting Companies Act (CPSA).

The province will appoint a member to fill the emptiness left by Chahbar’s resignation.

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