Kingston Police have announced the appointment of a new deputy chief, although he is not new to the force. Insp. Matt Funnell, who has nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement, will officially assume his new role as deputy chief on Tuesday.
“It’s a good day,” Funnell remarked about his promotion.
Funnell joined Kingston Police almost three decades ago, initially drawn to the investigative side of policing.
“I really was interested in investigations. I really wanted to have some exposure in that part of things, so I had a lengthy career in investigations and major cases, and that really was my goal going in,” Funnell said.
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One of Funnell’s primary objectives as deputy chief will be to enhance the internal promotion process.
“One of the main things we have to do is really build our internal promotion process. There’s a lot of people in the hopper for that, and we have to get a firm process together,” he explained.
Chief of Police Robert Fraser supports this goal, noting the importance of filling numerous “acting” positions within the department to help advance the organization.
“It’s a good time because Kingston’s been in… a lot of ‘acting’ positions, and now it’s time to fill these positions and move the organization forward,” Fraser said.
Fraser is also eager to work more closely with Funnell, whom he described as a seasoned and respected member of the force.
“Matt brings a lot of experience to the table. He’s been in Kingston a long time, before that working in a small community, understanding what the community is all about, understanding his relationship with community partners,” Fraser added.
Funnell emphasized that building relationships within the force and the community will be a key focus in his new role.
“This is a new role, and I’ve been able to build some relationships over the years, but I fully recognize that I need to earn the trust and respect of the members in this new role,” Funnell stated.
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