Hawkesbury OPP has new detachment commander

Inspector Steven Waite is happy to be back home as the new detachment commander of the Hawkesbury OPP.

Son of the late Wallace and Wanda Waite, Waite grew up in Hawkesbury and graduated from the local high school and obtained his bachelor's degree at the University of Ottawa.

He started his policing career with the Hawkesbury Police Service in 1985. At the Hawkesbury Police Service he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant where he assumed the responsibilities of Patrol Supervisor.

He also headed the investigation department as the Detective-Sergeant, a role he continued in 1999 when the Hawkesbury Police Service amalgamated with the Ontario Provincial Police. He supervised numerous major investigations in Prescott County.

His longest and largest investigation was, by far, the Violet Graves homicide which occurred in 2001.

In 2005, Waite, a married father of two children, was promoted to the rank of Staff-Sergeant and inherited the duties of detachment commander for the Russell County OPP.

In January 2009 he was assigned as Acting-Inspector for the Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry OPP Detachment in Long Sault and led a unit of 120 police officers. In April 2009 he was promoted as Inspector and remained in Long Sault until this past August.

In August of this year, the same week he was slated to start as the new Hawkesbury OPP detachment commander, Waite was diagnosed with melanoma cancer. This illness forced him to take some time off to start his battle against this overwhelming disease. With strong family and workplace support he underwent surgery and started his treatments at the Ottawa Cancer Clinic.

Waite came back to work the first week of November. He is still undergoing treatment and is dedicated to fight off this disease.

Waite is a strong believer in community partnerships.

"The cornerstone of solid effective policing is having a good partnership with the members of its community," Waite said. "Members of the Hawkesbury OPP detachment are a very dedicated group; they thrive in working closely with the community in Prescott County, I am looking forward working alongside with them and with our community partners, we need everyone's involvement to make this community a safe place for our children and residents."