Chief and Executive

Chief Katie McLellan has a unique perspective and background combining policing and security experience from both the private and public sectors. Her time spent as a security expert in the private sector highlighted to her the importance of building safe and resilient communities through partnership and collaboration with the community and she is a strong advocate for crime prevention through social development.

Having immigrated to Calgary from her home in Scotland, Chief McLellan joined the Calgary Police Service in 1987.  For the next thirteen years she worked in the Communications Section and as a general duty patrol Constable and Sergeant in Districts 4 and 3. Those early years engaged in grass roots community policing taught her that the police alone cannot prevent and solve crime without support from communities and partner social agencies committed to improving the lives of all Calgarians.

The career of Chief McLellan in the Calgary Police Service spanned numerous areas including the Professional Standards Section, the Chief Crowfoot Learning Center, the Emergency Communications Center and as a Duty Inspector.  She was the first Inspector of the Criminal Operations Section. Chief McLellan was promoted to Superintendent in 2008 and went on to lead the Information and Technology Division, the Executive Office of the Chief Constable with oversight of the Professional Standards Section, the Legal Services Section, the Strategic Communications Section and the Freedom of Information and Privacy Section.  From 2010 to 2013 Chief McLellan was the Superintendent of the Field Operations Division where she and her team of commanders built and lead frontline policing in the City. In this role, she was grateful to perform a guiding and strategic role in advancing the evolving model of community mobilization and engagement. The complexity of social issues only furthered her resolve to leverage community and social services support in ensuring community safety.

In 2013, Chief McLellan retired as the Senior Superintendent and transitioned to the corporate security realm joining an International Oil and Gas exploration company as the Senior Security Advisor. Chief McLellan recognized the critical interface between security and policing and the importance of all public safety partners, whether peace officers, professional security or police, in building a sustainable foundation for community safety. Within the corporate security realm, she was focused on building respectful workplaces, and issues related to workplace violence. Chief McLellan performed a strategic leadership role in working internally with Human Resource teams to bring about a healthy, respectful and inclusive workplace.

The goal for Chief McLellan was always to return to public policing. In May 2018, she joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was selected to be the Officer in Charge of Federal Policing South, Serious and Organized Crime (K Division).  And, in December 2019 she returned to municipal policing in the next stage of her professional policing career as a Chief of the Calgary Police Service.

Chief McLellan possesses a Bachelor of Professional Arts degree (Criminal Justice, Athabasca University). She is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police and holds a Corporate Executive Diploma from the Faculty of Business, University of Alberta as well as numerous certificates including Senior Police Management, Police Leadership Supervisory Skills and a Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement Diploma. Chief McLellan has been trained as a Hostage Negotiator, an Emergency Operation Centre Lead and an Incident Management Team Commander.

Chief McLellan is the recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Medal, Alberta Police Officer Centennial Medal, Alberta Emergency Services Medal, Calgary Police Distinguished Service Medal and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Chief McLellan looks forward to enhancing community partnerships and working with all Calgary Police Service employees to ensure Calgary is at all times a safe place to live.

Deputy Chief Cory Dayley

Deputy Chief Cory Dayley has dedicated 23 years to the Calgary Police Service (CPS).

Throughout his years with the Service, Deputy Chief Dayley’s career has spanned numerous areas, where he has gained extensive operational, management and leadership experience in a broad cross-section of policing. This includes frontline policing, covert and undercover operations, guns and gangs, economic crimes, cyber and technological crimes, use of force, Real Time Operations Centre incident command, professional standards and accountability, counterterrorism and extremism, intelligence, and organized crime and offender management.

Deputy Chief Dayley was most recently the officer in charge of the Criminal Operations and Intelligence Division at the CPS, which included the oversight of the Criminal Networks Section, Criminal Operations and Intelligence Analytical Unit, and the Organized Crime and Offender Management Section. He has been instrumental in numerous significant initiatives, notably working alongside the innovative members of the first cybercrime team responsible for the creation of the CPS cybercrime program, which has established the Service as a leader in digital policing.

He has participated on committees at the provincial and national level in the areas of cybercrime, organized crime, counterterrorism and national security, and represented the CPS as the intelligence commander with the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) Intelligence Commanders Group. He is currently a member of the Alberta Association of Chiefs (AACP) and in 2024 represented the AACP on the Guns and Gangs Violence Action Fund (GGVAF) as a member of the GGVAF joint management team.

Deputy Chief Dayley is a graduate of Mount Royal College/University, where he studied criminology. He earned his postgraduate certificate in cybersecurity and intelligence, and holds a certificate in professional management from the University of Calgary, his Senior Management in Policing Certificate (SPAC), and is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police Program – Police Executive Research Forum.

Deputy Chief Dayley is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, Alberta Services Medal, Alberta Police Office Long Service Medal, Police Exemplary Service Medal, Queen’s Jubilee Medal, AACP Community Policing Award, and the Chief’s Leadership Award.

Deputy Chief Dayley looks forward to working with the incredibly dedicated employees in the Bureau of Service and Community Support and the members across the CPS to continue enhancing service delivery and community partnerships.

Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien was a volunteer with the CPS for five years before becoming a sworn member in 1996. His career includes roles as a frontline patrol officer, a detective in the Robbery and Homicide Units, a member of the Public Safety Unit, sergeant in the Human Resources Section, and a staff sergeant in the Professional Standards Section. He also served as an inspector in charge of the Major Crimes Section, District 1 and the Office of the Chief of Police.

Deputy Chief O’Brien oversaw the Service’s Criminal Operations Technical Support Division, which included investigative units such as Anti-Corruption, Criminal Intelligence, Cyber Forensics, and Economic and Technological Crimes. During 2019-2020, he served as the Acting Deputy Chief for the Bureau of Community Support. He is currently the superintendent of the Operational Support Division.

A graduate of Simon Fraser University, Deputy Chief O’Brien has a BA with a Major in Criminology and a Minor in Psychology. He also holds a diploma in Criminology from Calgary’s Mount Royal University. He is the recipient of the Calgary Police Distinguished Service Medal, Alberta Emergency Services Medal, Canadian Exemplary Service Medal, Alberta Police Officer Long Service medal and Order of Merit of the Police Services.

An avid volunteer, Deputy Chief O’Brien currently serves as the Chair of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund and is a board member with the Alberta Family Violence Death Review Committee. He also serves as a member of the Calgary Police Service Peer Support Team and continues as a quarry for officer safety training. He has volunteered countless hours as an instructor with victim services throughout Western Canada on a variety of topics including advocate safety.

Kim Armstrong joined the Calgary Police Service in 2023 as the Chief People Officer (CPO) and brings an extensive professional background in municipal and provincial government, as well as law enforcement.

Kim’s role at CPS is to lead the Bureau of People and Organizational Development, which offers member-focused supports in the areas of learning, recruitment, human resources, and wellness. Kim also plays an instrumental part in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion within the Service.

Prior to joining the Calgary Police Service, Kim served as the Deputy City Manager for Employee Services at the City of Edmonton – an organization of 14,000 employees. Previous positions include the Deputy Minster for two portfolios in the Government of Alberta, Status of Women and Seniors and Housing. She served as the Deputy Secretary to Cabinet as well as the Acting Deputy Minister, Deputy Attorney General and Associate Deputy Minister for the Alberta Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General. Kim also worked at the Edmonton Police Service from 1997 to 2006 where she held several roles including leading the Legal Services Section.

She has a deep interest and commitment to supporting the law enforcement community as it evolves and progresses. Her experience, combined with her desire to create and support a workplace culture where everyone can thrive, positions her to continue to expand and strengthen the vital work underway in the bureau dedicated to our people.

She is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.