The Brantford Police Services Board has announced the creation of a second Deputy Chief of Police position on a two-year trial basis, a move aimed at bolstering organizational oversight and aligning leadership capacity with the demands of modern policing.
Following a competitive internal and external selection process, the Board has appointed Deputy Chief Richard Paolini and Deputy Chief Grant Davies, two long-serving and accomplished members of the Brantford Police Service.
Deputy Chief Paolini, who began his policing career in Brantford in 1997, has held a range of frontline and investigative roles including work in the Major Crime Unit and as Staff Sergeant overseeing the Criminal Investigation Section.
He was promoted to Inspector of Quality Assurance in 2018 and has served as Interim Deputy Chief since May 2024. He is also a former president of the Brantford Police Association.
Deputy Chief Davies joined the Brantford Police in 2007 after serving with the Hamilton Police Service. Over the years, he has worked in youth crime, vice, child abuse and sexual assault investigations, and has held supervisory roles in both Uniform Patrol and Criminal Investigations. He was promoted to Inspector of Investigative Support in 2024.
Davies holds a degree in Criminal Justice and Public Policy from the University of Guelph and a Police Leadership certificate from Dalhousie University.
“The addition of a second Deputy Chief strengthens our leadership structure and positions the Service to more effectively address the increasing complexity of policing,” said Board Chair Allan Lovett. “We are proud to recognize the leadership talent within our ranks.”
Chief of Police Jason Saunders praised the appointments, noting both individuals bring “significant experience, professionalism, and deep knowledge of the community” to their new roles.
The two-year pilot project will be evaluated at the end of its term to assess its impact on service delivery and organizational performance.
