Durham Regional Police Chief Todd Rollauer said Friday that it’s “the right time” to announce he'll be stepping down from his post next year.

In a news release issued Friday, the Durham Regional Police Services Board said Rollauer has informed them that he will be retiring at the end of March 2023.

He has been in the role since September 2020, guiding the force through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a time of difficult relations between police and the public.

“The Board is very grateful for Chief Rollauer’s dedicated service to the Durham Regional Police Service for more than 35 years,” Board Chair Bobbie Drew said in a statement. “Chief Rollauer has demonstrated exceptional leadership and integrity over the course of his career, especially over the last two years as Interim Chief of Police, and we wish him continued happiness and success in the future.”

Rollauer joined the force as a cadet in 1987 and worked his way up through numerous roles over the years, culminating in his appointment as deputy chief in November 2018.

The board appointed him as interim chief in September 2020 following the resignation of former chief Paul Martin, who announced his retirement two months earlier amid a provincial investigation into complaints against him and other senior members of the force.

In its statement, the board thanked Rollauer for helping to guide the organization through “a challenging period.”

For his part, he said he has loved his career in policing, but this feels like the right time to make the move.

“I am so grateful to have fulfilled my dream of being a police officer,” Rollauer said in a statement. “I have been fortunate to work with incredible individuals who have positively influenced me over my 35-year career. I have always tried to do my best and represent the Service with professionalism and integrity. While this decision was not easy, it is the right time for me to focus on life outside of policing.”

A selection process to find a new permanent chief will continue, the board said, with a decision expected to come early next year.