Sudbury police set out on $60K hunt to find new chief

The search for a new police chief is going to cost Sudbury taxpayers $60,000.

The police services board approved on Wednesday the hiring of a headhunting firm for that amount. It will look for a replacement for Chief Frank Elsner, who departs for the Victoria, BC police department at the end of the week.

Board chair and city councillor Ron Dupuis said outside help is needed to find the right candidate.

"We do not have the manpower, first of all, to go and start doing this legwork that needs to be done, he said.

It's a very long process, but it's one that we're going to take our time with and make sure we have the right person."

Dupuis said he expects the next Sudbury police chief will be named sometime this spring.

"It's not going to be something where we just snap our fingers and someone's going to appear. We just hope that the best person we can have is the right person that's going to be hired."

Following the Sudbury police board meeting, Inspector Dan Markiewich was sworn in as the city's acting police chief.