The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 25, 2012 · 8 Chief Gary Crowell thanked at his last police board meeting With only a few days left before retirement, Halton Police Chief Gary Crowell was at his last meeting of the Halton Regional Police Service Board Thursday. Crowell participated in a ceremony recognizing 13 recently promoted officers. Crowell also thanked board members past and present. "We have accomplished a lot as an organization. We have refined our budget process and our finance bureau to what I think is top notch," said Crowell. "We have reorganized within our organization and brought a number of different bureaus on board such as our Domestic Violence Unit, our ICE Unit, which is our Internet Child Exploitation Unit, our Street Crime Units. We've seen tremendous results reacting to not only crime, but emerging crimes." Crowell also praised the board for supporting the replacement of Halton police's degrading communications system and new facilities in Oakville and Burlington. "I have been proud to serve as the chief of police and I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to have led such a wonderful organization." Crowell received a round of applause and kind words from board Chair Robert Maich who said Crowell must take some responsibility for Halton being ranked the safest place to live in the GTA and the safest regional municipality in Canada four years in a row by Maclean's magazine. "Congratulations on what you have done and what you have developed in termsof the depth of talent throughout this organization," said Maich. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton also thanked Crowell for his work on behalf of the people of Oakville. "I have been endlessly impressed with not only the way you have led the force in its engagement with our community, but with way our community hasresponded so positively to that," said Burton. "I salute you for that and I certainly believe you've built a force thatwill continue that initiative. Thank you." Crowell will retire June 2, after a 42-year policing career. Crowell has spent 13 years with the Halton Regional Police Service including six years as chief of police.