Winnipeggers welcome new top cop

Keith McCaskill was sworn in as Winnipeg's 16th chief of police at a ceremony Monday afternoon at city hall.

Robert Keith McCaskill took the oath from Manitoba Chief Judge Raymond Wyant in front of his family, dignitaries and numerous representatives of law enforcement, including Manitoba Attorney General Dave Chomiak and officers from the RCMP and as far away as North Dakota.

McCaskill, 52, spent more than 29 years on the Winnipeg force, rising to the rank of inspector, before leaving two years ago to co-ordinate aboriginal and municipal law enforcement with the provincial government.

On Monday, he pledged to have an open relationship with Winnipeggers.

"I plan on listening. I plan on being honest with them, telling them what we can and can't do, asking for their advice, asking for their help in areas that we can't do it," he said.

"I think we have to be in this together."

Better communication is key to McCaskill's strategy to improve relations with groups such as Winnipeg's aboriginal community. Just last week, a report from the Manitoba Human Rights Commission was critical of relations between theforce and aboriginal and other ethnic communities.

McCaskill also vowed to improve morale among officers and says he's committed to improving some of the inefficiencies at the police service. Too many calls for service by the public take too long to answer, he said.

Police must get away from a model that sees officers typing reports instead of answering calls, he said.