Taylor begins role as Woodstock’s new Deputy Police Chief

(WPS Photo)

Lee Griffi, Editor

“It is truly an honour to be the Deputy Chief of the Woodstock Police Service.”

Those were the first words uttered by Jamie Taylor, who was recently appointed Woodstock’s new Deputy Police Chief.

The Stratford native began his new role on April 1, following the retirement of former Chief Rod Wilkinson, who was replaced by Nick Novacich, leaving the deputy role vacant.

“With more than 25 years in policing, Inspector Taylor brings extensive operational, leadership, and community-focused experience to this role. Since joining the Woodstock service in 2023 as Inspector of Operations, he has provided oversight of General Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Community Response, Drugs and Intelligence, and the Emergency Response Unit, and has served as Incident Commander during major events,” said a Police Services Board release.

“The biggest difference for me has been moving from a very hands-on, operational role into more of a leadership and oversight position. In Stratford, I was working on the frontline and supervising the Training, Street Crime, and Emergency Response Units. That’s really where I learned the job from the ground up.”

He added In Woodstock, his role looks quite different.

“I’m overseeing operations at a command level, making sure our members have the training, resources, and support they need, and that everything we do is thorough and aligned with our policies and procedures. I also report to the Police Services Board, liaise with the Special Investigations Unit, investigate complaints, and work closely with our command team.”

Taylor added a large part of his role is relationship-building, working with community partners, sitting on boards, and collaborating internally with the WPS media relations officer, hiring committee, and the Emergency Response Unit, where he acts as Incident Commander.

“I’ve learned a lot here, especially around leadership and managing people. I definitely wear a lot of different hats, but it’s been a really rewarding transition. I’ve loved my time at both services and continue to grow. One highlight for me was completing the Rotman leadership program at the University of Toronto.”

Over the past two decades, policing—like many other sectors—has experienced profound change, particularly driven by advancements in technology.

“It has changed a lot since I started in 2001. Back then, I was typing Crown briefs on a typewriter, and everything was paper based. Now we’re using AI-assisted reports and fully electronic disclosure. Everything has gone digital.”

He added investigations have also become much more complex.

“What used to take an hour can now take hours with the gathering of CCTV, digital evidence, body-worn camera footage, and often working with subject matter experts. We’re also doing more production orders and judicial authorizations, especially for digital evidence.”

Among the technological improvements are drones, body-worn cameras, and advanced data systems, which didn’t exist when Taylor started his policing career.

“Social media has also completely changed. News used to be in the newspaper and on the radio. Now, information is instant, and platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X play a role in both investigations and communication.”

Taylor added police deal with more complex calls today, especially around mental health.

“We work much more closely with community partners than we used to. There’s also a greater expectation for accountability and transparency, which is important.”

He spent 22 years with the Stratford service and explained that, for the most part, policing is policing no matter where the municipality is.

“Honestly, both Stratford and Woodstock are incredible places to work. The job itself is very similar, and the calls and the challenges don’t really change. What makes each place different is the people and the community. I’ve been really lucky. The people at both services are fantastic, and I truly feel like I have two police families.”

Taylor said his priority in the short-term is to fill his previous inspector role and ensure his successor is set up for success.

“I want to provide the same mentorship and support that I was given throughout my career. I’m also focused on improving communication with our members and with the public. With the new Community Safety and Policing legislation, there’s been a lot of required training and new equipment. Making sure we’re compliant and our members feel confident with those changes is a big priority.”

In the long term, he’s looking at details in one, three and five-year plans.

“It’s important to always think ahead. With my move into this role, there are going to be several internal promotions, and that’s exciting for the service. It’s a great opportunity to continue building strong leadership from within. Personally, my goal is to keep learning from our chief, support his vision, and continue developing as a leader.”

Taylor sees his role as supporting the chief’s vision and making sure the force is moving forward as an organization in line with its strategic plan.

“It’s about ensuring we’re providing adequate and effective policing, making sure our members have what they need to do their jobs and that we’re meeting the expectations of the community. It’s also about taking care of our people. Member wellness is really important to me, both physically and mentally.”

At the same time, the deputy chief said he has a responsibility to be fiscally accountable.

“We’re working with taxpayer dollars, so we need to be responsible and thoughtful in how we use our resources.”