Ottawa has recruited its new chief of police from another Ontario force, the CBC has learned.

Chief Vernon White of Durham Regional Police will take over from Ottawa police Chief Vince Bevan in April, an unnamed source confirmed Wednesday.

Vernon White, chief of Durham Regional Police, is shown speaking to CBC-TV in January.
(CBC)

Ottawa police are to make an official announcement about their new chief on Friday.

White, 48, was born in New Waterford, N.S., and has been a police officer for more than 25 years. He spent most of his career serving with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in northern Canada, where he was credited with helping boost the number of aboriginal police officers. 

He is familiar with Ottawa, having moved there in 2002 to serve as assistant commissioner with the RCMP before heading to Durham region.

Steve Parish, mayor of Ajax, a town in Durham region 30 kilometres east of Toronto, said White served his community and police force well after he became the region's chief of police in September 2005.

Parish called White "very much a cop's cop" but said the chief also made a point of getting out into the community and talking one-on-one with local leaders and ordinary citizens.

'He had both characteristics that I think a modern large city needs.'— Ajax Mayor Steve Parish

"He had both characteristics that I think a modern large city needs."

Retired Ottawa police officer Doug Kirkland said he thinks White's background will facilitate joint investigations with other forces.

"There are so many operations that are tied together," he said. "So maybe having somebody there who's on a first name basis with the RCMP would be a very good thing."

Local francophones are pleased that White speaks French.

"I think it's very good," said Nicolas Séguin, spokesman for the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario. "The French community is going to be more in touch with the chief … because he's going to be able to communicate with them directly."

Bevan is retiring in March after more than six years on the job.