![['Gary McGuigan, deputy chief of operaitons with Charlottetown Police Services, holds up a new digital radio now being tested by officers. The new signal cannot be deciphered by scanner radios used by the public. ']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/20120112-gary-mcguigan-charlottetown-po-1970982.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=enhance%2Ccompress%2Cformat)
Charlottetown Deputy Police Chief Gary McGuigan has retired following 34 years with the force.
His retirement was effective June 1.
Police Chief Paul Smith said McGuigan was tasked in major crime for a while before he was transferred back to patrol as supervisor. He was then promoted to deputy police chief in 2009.
“In that time frame, Gary really took things on in terms of broadening our community outreach and community policing piece,’’ Smith said. “He really got on it and bought into the community policing approach to things, helped us develop that along.’’
Related: Charlottetown police Chief Paul Smith looks back over a 40-year career with the force
McGuigan’s departure now creates a void in regard to community policing.
“You’ve got someone who was really passionate about that so, right now, you’ve got that void of the oversight piece but we’ll get around that. When the time comes to fill his shoes, they’ve got some pretty big shoes to fill.’’
Smith said they hope to replace McGuigan someday but it’s too early to say anything definitive on that just yet.
