One of these officers loves our Italian food, the other will retire soon

With a more visible presence in the downtown core, announcing plans last week to open a satellite office in Station Mall as a way to keep an even more watchful eye on crime and keep citizens safe, we felt it was timely to visit the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service building and present the city’s two top cops with complimentary SooToday coffee mugs.

Hugh Stevenson was officially announced as the new Sault Police Chief by the City of Sault Ste. Marie June 13, officially sworn in prior to city council’s June 25 meeting.

“Ever since I was a kid on a farm I wanted to be a police officer...after 31 years in law enforcement, I felt it was time to take my information and knowledge and apply it to leading a police service. This is a great opportunity,” Stevenson told SooToday on his first day on his new job in June.

A firm believer in traditional policing, Chief Stevenson held a media conference July 31, five weeks after his swearing in, and nearly a month after Sault Police launched Project H.E.A.T. (High Enforcement Action Team), formed to clamp down on drug trade-related crime within the community.

Police presented a table full of weapons, drugs and drug trade-related cash the team seized from the streets.

Inviting all community members to let police know their concerns, encouraging them to partner with police in providing tips and input, Stevenson said “we need your help in letting us know who’s selling this stuff in our community...our goal is to get this stuff off the street, find out who’s selling it and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law."

Taking the reins of the Sault Police Service marks Stevenson’s first northern Ontario leadership role (though he had visited the community before).

Stevenson began his career with the Peel Regional Police Service in 1987 before joining the OPP in 1994.

A native of McNab Township in the Ottawa Valley, Stevenson comes to the Sault from his most recent assignment in Toronto, where he was seconded to the provincial government from the OPP with the rank of Superintendent, serving as Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario director with a focus on undercover work, gathering intelligence in fighting organized crime.

With a Doctorate of Education from the University of Toronto, Stevenson has also taught at post-secondary institutions in Ontario.

Despite those lofty credentials and impressive experience, Stevenson is down-to-earth, soft spoken and amiable, an avid pilot in his spare time as well as being a hockey and football fan.

He added he’s loving the Sault’s Italian food.

Deputy Chief Sean Sparling, meanwhile, will soon be retiring from the Sault Police Service.

The City of Sault Ste. Marie announced Aug. 9 of Sparling’s intention to retire Feb. 1, 2019.

Sparling has served with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service since 1992.

He has worked for the service in many capacities, including uniformed patrol as well as involvement with the Technological Crime Unit (TCU), the street team and in major crime investigations.

In 2014, he was named deputy chief, helping establish the Sault Police Peer Support Program and the service’s Indigenous Education Training Program.

His volunteerism includes an active role with fundraising for the 2019 Special Olympics Winter Games.

Speaking to SooToday, Sparling said he plans to work in the private sector after retiring from Sault Police, in a role “not very far from policing.”