At a young age, Regina Police Chief Evan Bray knew that his calling was to be a police officer, more specifically with the RCMP.

“I wanted to be a cop since I was five. Literally, my whole life all I wanted to be was a police officer,” says Bray.

When Bray finished high school he knew he couldn’t join the RCMP right away so his guidance counselor encouraged him to get into broadcasting because the counselor said ‘he talked a lot’.

From there, Bray worked in radio and television which lead him to meet and interview a member of the RPS who inspired him to apply for a role with the organization.

From there, Bray worked for almost three decades as an officer with the Regina Police Force. Spending his final seven years as the Chief of Police.

He recently announced that as of June 30 of this year, Bray will be retiring from his career.

He shares that after all the incredible projects that the RPS has done and continues to do with the community and within the organization and with what he knows he’ll be leaving behind, he feels that this is the right time for him to confidently step down.

“Knowing that we’ve had some (projects) completed, some well on their way, and knowing what an incredible staff we have here to take that on, this felt like a good time,” says Bray.

Through some tears and heavy emotions, Bray shared how proud his of his team.

“I’m so proud, I’m humbled every day by our cops. I think the last few years have been tough on policing and I feel it the most through our cops because it’s not an easy job and you’re often being asked to make tough decisions. These people who I consider to be like brothers and sisters are doing it day in and day out and doing it without fail and doing it with pride and I’m proud,” he says.

Within the next three months, Bray will continue with his usual duties while the Board of Police Commissioners searches with the RPS and also across Canada for a replacement.