Halifax Regional Police (HRP) chief Dan Kinsella announced his retirement in Wednesday’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting.

Kinsella said he will be stepping down effective Sept. 15. An acting chief will be appointed by the city and a new chief will begin in the fall. His retirement announcement comes months before his contract is up in June 2024. 

After 37 years of policing Kinsella said he would be retiring saying, "HRP is the leading police service not only within Atlantic, Canada, but across the country, and one I will forever be proud of."

During the board meeting, Kinsella thanked the HRP for their support during his four years as chief. He also thanked members of the Hamilton Police Services, where he worked as deputy chief of operations. 

Kinsella joined HRP in 2019 and said, “leading HRP has been a highlight of my career.” 

In June, Halifax Board of Police Commissioners announced HRP was losing police faster than they could recruit and that understaffing, long-term absences and mental health claims were part of the reason. This comes after unionized Halifax Regional Police officers voted last fall against Kinsella’s leadership with 96.6 per cent of the 83.7 per cent who voted, saying they did not have confidence in his ability to lead. 

The union president at the time, Sgt. Dean Steinburg, said the decision to vote was not easy and that it was a first in the history of the police department. 

“I want to start by expressing our sincere appreciation to you for the dedication and contribution that you have given to Halifax Regional Municipality,” Chair of the Board of Police Commissioners Becky Kent said during the meeting. 

Kent also thanked Kinsella for his work during a “tumultuous period.”

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