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Orillian 'excited' to take over as city's interim top cop

Insp. Brent Robitaille just wrapped up his first week in the new role; 'For me, this is an opportunity to give back to my community,' he says
2020-06-05 Brent Robitaillie
Insp. Brent Robitaille is the interim detachment commander with Orillia OPP. Supplied photo

A born-and-bred Orillian is now at the helm of the city’s police force.

Insp. Brent Robitaille began his role as interim detachment commander with Orillia OPP on Monday, taking over for Insp. Veronica Eaton, who has been seconded to the OPP’s Highway Safety Division as an acting superintendent for an undetermined amount of time.

“My roots are here. My friends and family are here. For me, this is an opportunity to give back to my community,” Robitaille said.

He has held numerous positions with the force over the years, starting his policing career with Grey County OPP in Meaford before heading to the Southern Georgian Bay detachment.

He spent the past six months as the region’s staffing and development officer.

Before his work in Central Region, he was with the Investigation and Support Bureau of the Technical Support Branch at OPP General Headquarters. He was promoted to sergeant in the Co-ordination Unit and was seconded to the Hamilton Police Service for three years.

He was also promoted to staff sergeant with the Technical Support Branch and had a few acting assignments with the Anti-Rackets Bureau’s Fraud Section, Criminal Investigation Branch and Bureau Command.

He landed his current rank of inspector in 2018, working for Forensic Identification Services, where he managed the provincial forensic program.

“I’ve been very fortunate to do a lot of different things in my career,” Robitaille said.

That includes his pre-policing career, when he worked for Bell Canada and as a bylaw officer with Orillia.

It was his recent stint as acting detachment commander in Bracebridge, when he covered for a vacation, that got him interested in that role.

“I thought, ‘This is something I wouldn’t mind doing,’” he said.

While he’s only been on the job at the Orillia detachment for a week, he said it’s been going well.

“This is an extremely busy detachment filled with a good variety of calls,” he said. “Although it’s a really busy area, the members here do some amazing work and I’m happy to be able to support them.”

Taking the reins of the detachment during the COVID-19 pandemic poses some challenges, he acknowledged, noting there have been many mental health and domestic calls as people cope with restrictions.

“We’re in a really unique time right now with COVID. The focus of many in this community is to enhance our mental health services and keep our community safe,” he said. “That’s the primary thing we have to deal with.”

When the pandemic is over, that’s when he said he’ll be able to focus on other priority areas.

It’s a time of change for the OPP, too. The Orillia and Barrie detachments will merge into one when they move into a new building on University Avenue late in the fall, leaving behind the cramped quarters at the current site on Peter Street.

“It’s going to be the mark of a new beginning,” Robitaille said. “All I’ve heard so far is people are super-excited to be part of a new building and new resources.”

Despite her new role at headquarters, Eaton will remain involved in the process of transitioning to the new building, he noted.

As for how long he will hold the position of interim detachment commander, Robitaille couldn’t say. He explained the OPP is restructuring the process of how its members compete for jobs within the force.

“If Veronica is not interested in those opportunities, she might be back here,” he said. “For now, I’m excited to be here and I’ll do my best.”


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Nathan Taylor

About the Author: Nathan Taylor

Nathan Taylor is the desk editor for Village Media's central Ontario news desk in Simcoe County and Newmarket.
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