Chief of Police Wendy Southall became the seventh Chief of Police in the history of the Niagara Regional Police Service on January 1, 2005.

Chief Southall started her policing career in 1970 with the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service. She served in a number of areas, including Uniform Patrol, Morality Bureau, Mobile Support Unit and the Youth Crime Division. She joined the Niagara Police Services Board in 1982, and since that time has been an Enforcement Officer and Issuer of Licences in charge of the Licencing Department. In 1989, she was promoted to Administrator of the Police Services Board and worked under the direction of eight Board Chairs. 

Chief Southall was appointed to the Niagara Regional Police Service as acting Chief Administrative Officer in February 2000 and promoted to Chief Administrative Officer in January 2001. She has been directly responsible for the operations of the Finance Unit, Fleet and Facilities Management, Human Resources including Recruiting, Training, Career Development, Information Services and Police Records.

Chief Southall is leading the Niagara Regional Police Service through a time of transition, including a complete technological renovation; a region wide change, focused on promoting greater road safety and the development of formal structures aimed at succession planning and recruiting. 

Chief Southall has served as the chair of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Criminal Justice Committee, and currently sits on the Board of Directors. She has served as the chair of the capital campaign for Women’s Place of Niagara, the co-chair of the capital campaign for the Child Advocacy Center, the chair of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Campaign, as well as an active member of the Rotary Club of Niagara. 

Chief Southall has completed the Police Executive Leadership Program at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Business. In 2006, she completed her Masters in Public Administration at the University of Western Ontario.

 

On February 2nd, 2009 Joe Matthews became Deputy Chief of Police for the Niagara Regional Police Service. With his 28 years of policing experience, he will oversee the operational functions of the Niagara Regional Police Service.

Deputy Chief Joe Matthews began his policing career with the Niagara Regional Police Auxiliary in 1978. He was hired as a full time constable on June 1, 1981 and was assigned to uniform patrol duties. Deputy Chief Matthews was later assigned to the Criminal Investigation Branch in 1985, where he served for many years. Deputy Chief Matthews was one of the original members of the Major Crime Unit when it formed in 1993. Deputy Chief Matthews became a lead investigator of a joint-forces investigation into the murder of two well-known organized crime figures, dubbed “Project Expiate” in 1997.

Deputy Chief Matthews served as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Police and later as Divisional Commander in Fort Erie. By 2006, Deputy Chief Matthews was promoted to the rank of Inspector and assigned to the Policing Standards Unit. He pioneered a formal set of Rules of Practice for Police Disciplinary Hearings marking Niagara as the first in the Province of Ontario to formalize such rules. In 2007, Deputy Chief Matthews was promoted to the rank of Superintendent where he served the Executive Services and the Western Region.

Deputy Chief Matthews is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management and has completed two Police Leadership Certificate programs from Dalhousie University. Deputy Chief Matthews is married to Annalea, a Montessori Educator. Deputy Chief Matthews has volunteered for several years with Wellspring Niagara and currently serves as Chairperson of the Board.