Insp. Simon Bradford is the interim detachment commander at the Huronia West OPP.

He takes the reins from Rod Lake, who recently announced he was retiring.

Bradford was introduced to Clearview Township council last Monday night.

The OPP officer started as a constable with the Toronto Police Service in 1980, a position he held until 1990 when he left for the OPP.

Bradford worked at the provincial force's Burlington detachment until 1992, when he transferred to the Ontario Police College in Aylmer as an acting sergeant, carrying out instructor duties.

In 1994, he moved onto the provincial police academy and in 1998 he became a staff sergeant with the OPP's internal audit division, working as an audit manager.

Come 2003, Bradford became the business and regional process manager at OPP Central Region Headquarters in Orillia, until joining Huronia West.

Bradford said an internal competition will be held by the OPP to determine who becomes the detachment's full-time commander.