Photo/PAUL HUTCHINGS NEW ORANGEVILLE POLICE CHIEF Joe Tomei was sworn in Monday. Here, he meets the public flanked by Mayor Rob Adams, left, and Acting Police Chief Mike Robinson. With a bagpiper, town officials and law enforcement officials from two countries in attendance, Joe Tomei became Orangeville's 22nd police chief on being sworn in on Monday at the Town Hall.

Some would say that now his real work begins. But for now, bring on the honeymoon phase.

The praise heaped on the new chief was almost overwhelming as one by one members of the local government and the community stepped up to the podium to offer congratulations to Mr. Tomei, who almost seemed embarrassed with the compliments.

The new chief spoke of his commitment to community policing and said his first order of business would be communication with all the different levels of government and the community.

Former chief Roger Johnson, who served as Orangeville's police chief from 1995 to 1999, said communication is going to be very necessary in Chief Tomei's day-today operations because of how much the job has changed since he helmed the force. He outlined some of the challenges the new chief will face.

"I like the new chief, he comes very well qualified and very well supported. He'll face difficulties with enforcements, changing laws and changing norms," said Mr. Johnson, who also served as Orangeville's deputy chief from 1988 to 1995.

"He'll deal with the fact that the respect is not there like it used to be with respect to law and order and the community. It's a different job now than it was when I took it over, there's a greater emphasis on community policing involving all members of the community."

Chief Tomei said after the ceremony that his new tenure will be his first experience with small town life, something that after being raised in Toronto, he's looking forward to, along with meeting the challenges of the job.

"I'd like to talk with all the men and women of the police service, then I hope to engage and speak with the political representatives of the town at all three levels of government," he said.

"Then I want to meet with the business community and the social service agencies and to get a sense from them what their priorities are and what they feel is important for their safety and security in the town of orangeville. After that, work towards putting in strategies in place that will work towards eliminating crime."

The likeable new chief spent most of his career with the Toronto Police Services before being a finalist out of 15 candidates for the position of chief. He told the crowd of about 100 that the basic mission of the police is to prevent civil disorder and to remove those who would cause harm. He said he would uphold this mandate while upholding community policing issues.

Mayor Rob Adams told the crowd that in his time in local

politics he's been fortunate to work with good chiefs, and he sees Mr. Tomei as no exception. He's looking forward to local residents meeting Chief Tomei, to see what he and the rest of the selection committee saw during the interview process.

"Council and the Police Services Board are operating the same but now we'll have a new chief in place that we will need to work with," said the mayor.

He said Inspector Mike Robinson, who served since late August as acting chief, "has done an excellent job in the interim, but it's a weight off my shoulders and the shoulders of council and the board knowing that we have someone who is a veteran of policing, has a tremendous amount of experience and is now able to run with things. It's a weight off of the community's shoulders as well."

Staff Superintendent Mike Federico of the Toronto Police Service and a former coworker of the new chief, called him a true friend of policing and presented a gift to Mr. Tomei on behalf of the Toronto Senior Officers' Association.

Prior to his appointment, Chief Tomei was the unit commander of the Toronto force's Organized Crime Unit, where he worked on biker enforcement, firearm enforcement and and illegal gambling. He holds several degrees and certificates in law enforcement, including one from the FBI Academy in the United States.