Former Regina police chief Troy Hagen remembered for a life of dedication and leadership
Hagen became the chief in 2008
The Regina Police Service (RPS) is mourning former chief Troy Hagen, who died on July 31. He was 67.
Born and raised in Regina, Hagen dedicated his life to public service and to the community that shaped him, according to acting RPS Chief Lorilee Davies.
"I was really saddened to hear that he had passed," Davies said.
"Our thoughts go out to his family, because obviously they're deeply grieving as well. And we know that there are many in the community who would have worked with him as his time in chief that will be deeply moved by his passing as well."
Hagen spent more than 39 years with the police force. Davies said Hagen took great pride in his role, working tirelessly to protect and serve the people of Regina.
He was involved in the creation of RPS's 12-hour shift rotation, pension benefits and the Regina Intersectoral Partnership, or TRiP, a multi-agency initiative to reduce the vulnerability of children and their families in the community.
"Many of the police services in the province work that shifting rotation now because of the work that he did on that front," Davies said. "He really fought hard for pension benefits for our members, and so I think about how deeply he cared about the men and women who work in Regina."
Hagen was appointes as an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by the Governor General of Canada in 2014, one of the country's highest honours for policing service.
"I know in speaking with others who worked with him during that time, they said for eight years when he was the chief there wasn't one single grievance," Davies said.
"It was just really his ability to listen, get a sense of what an issue was and then work toward resolution."
A devoted community member
Beyond his career in policing, Hagen spent time with several local organizations, including Prostate Cancer Support Regina, where he served for many years as vice-chair. Davies said Hagen's volunteer efforts touched many lives and reflected his belief in giving back to the community.
"Really just using his position to be able to leverage giving back to the community, and ensuring that everybody in our city had a safe place to be," she said.
Hagen is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. His loss is deeply felt not only by family, but by the entire police community and all those who served alongside him, Davies said.
"He was the president of Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police for many years and also sat on the board of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. So we know that there's people across the province and across the country that are saddened by his passing," she said.
Davies said the RPS is working to find the best ways to honour Hagen's legacy.
"I think that there are lots of different ways that we can honour his legacy in terms of, you know, keeping initiatives like TRiP going," she said.
"In the months to come, there might be [more] ways that we can think about honouring him."