Chief of Police

Shahin Mehdizadeh began his policing career with the RCMP in 1989. He is an accomplished police executive with more than 35 years of national and international policing experience.

Mehdizadeh has lived and served in four provinces and worked projects in every province throughout Canada in policing disciplines including general patrol duties, major crimes, drugs and organized crime, covert operations and national security. He has worked internationally with law enforcement partners in Europe, the US and Mexico, as well as many Canadian agencies in numerous joint forces operations spanning from Vancouver to Halifax. He has also developed and provided training relating to honour based crime and forced marriages to police, the Crown, non-governmental organizations and academia. As a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (M.O.M.), Mehdizadeh has a proven track record of success in leading initiatives to counter and prevent crime, promote public safety and build strong relationships with communities.

Mehdizadeh officially began as Chief of the Lethbridge Police on August 31, 2020. During his swearing-in, a blanket ceremony was performed by Blackfoot Elders who adopted Chief Mehdizadeh into the Blackfoot community and bestowed upon him the Blackfoot name, "Makoy'i tooma," which means Wolf Butte.