Well, there’s a new sheriff in town, literally.

After many months of notice and an exhaustive search by the Board of Police Commissioners, Chief Paul Burkart of the Nelson Police retired and Donovan Fisher took the reigns of the department. A change of command ceremony was held at City Hall last week and as a result of ongoing COVID related restrictions no members public were able to attend. The ceremony was broadcast on the City’s YouTube channel.

Mayor John Dooley, Nelson-Creston MLA Brittny Anderson, Fisher and Burkart all made remarks.

Dooley praised the outgoing chief and commended him for his role on the Nelson Fentanyl Taskforce and for playing an instrumental part in working to house some of Nelson’s most vulnerable at the beginning of the Global Pandemic.

“I don’t think any of our chiefs in the past had to make the about turn and about face that Chief Burkart had to make in the last few years, none the least of which was dealing with COVID,” Dooley said.

Dooley also praised the chief for leading the Department. He called the NPD, “ahead of its time.”

In his closing remarks Burkart said the community has directly impacted the people his two daughters have become and said he looks forward to connecting with the community as restrictions ease in the future.

Listen to our recap of the change of command here: