Thunder Bay police name Insp. Sylvie Hauth as first female deputy chief

The Thunder Bay Police Services Board has appointed Insp. Sylvie Hauth as the new deputy chief of police. The appointment is a milestone as Hauth is set to become the first female deputy in the history of the service.

"The board's goal was to find the right candidate who possessed the best skills, experience and vision for the service, " said board chair Jackie Dojack in a written release Wednesday.

Hauth, who speaks both French and English, is a 23-year veteran with the city force and holds holds a master's degree in criminology from the University of Ottawa and B.A. in Law & Justice from Laurentian University. She is known to be active in the community, serving on a number of boards of directors and various committees.

In 2014, she was awarded the Police Exemplary Service Medal, by the federal government.

Hauth "will be drawing on her strengths and experience as we move forward to serve and protect our community," said Dojack.

The appointment follows a four month search by the police services board after deputy chief Andrew Hay announced he would be retiring on December 31, 2016.

Inspector Hauth will assume her new role on January 1, 2017.