After ten years as chief and 44 years as a member of the Sarnia Police Service, Phil Nelson retires on Thursday.
Inspector Norm Hansen, also a longtime Sarnia police veteran, takes over at 5pm.
On his last day, Chief Nelson stopped by Blackburn Radio and reminisced about his first day on the job on September 30, 1974.
"I've heard so many times or people tell me what a great job you've done as chief, but it's not me it's the people you work with," says Nelson. "When you surround yourself with great people that do wonderful things, it's them that make things look good, it's not the chief. To be a leader, it's not about yourself it's about the people you work with."
Phil Nelson became chief in 2008.
He says today's priority is the drug problem.
"The major problem in Canada is opiate deaths and that needs to be addressed before anything else," says Nelson. "Good people are dying and I don't think anybody who is hooked on drugs goes out and says I'm going to become a junkie today. It's sad what happens to our people and it's sad that people are dying from opiates, and that needs to be addressed first before we look at anything else."
Nelson says he looks forward to spending more time with his family during his retirement and continuing his work with the Sarnia Girls Soccer Club.
Owen Lockhart has taken over the role of deputy chief following the retirement of Bob Farlow last week.
