A familiar face has taken over the top spot at Belleville Police Services.

Surrounded by family, including his two sons who are also both police officers, Mike Callaghan, was officially sworn in as the new chief of police at a ceremony at The Banquet Hall in Belleville on November 13.

Callaghan, a Belleville native who has been a police officer for 35 years, has been deputy chief since 2017 under Chief Ron Gignac. He has been serving as acting chief of police since Gignac went on leave in July; Gignac announced his retirement from the force last month.

In a ceremony that was part formal swearing-in, part celebration of a torch being passed, Callaghan talked about how honoured he was by the trust being placed in him by the city and the community.