A former Inspector in charge of the Terrace RCMP detachment is leaving the federal police force to become Ottawa鈥檚 police chief.

Eric Stubbs, now an assistant commissioner with the RCMP, was based in Terrace from 2005 to 2011.

He takes on his new role on Nov. 17.

Stubbs was transferred to Terrace in 2005 from a posting on Haida Gwaii to be the second in command of the local detachment as a staff sergeant.

He was promoted to Inspector in overall command of the detachment in 2008 before being promoted again, this time to Superintendent, and being transferred to Prince George.

A transfer to Ottawa followed in 2014 when Stubbs came the director general of the RCMP鈥檚 National Criminal Operations section.

In 2017 Stubbs moved back to B.C. to be in charge of criminal operations, a task that includes responsibility for the specialized RCMP unit that conducts regular patrols along the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline south of Houston, the scene of considerable opposition to the project and police action for the past several years.

During his time in Terrace, Stubbs created the Crime Reduction Unit, popularly known as the street crew, which patrolled the downtown core of Terrace either on foot or in a van with the intent to control street crime.

In an interview before leaving Terrace for Prince George, Stubbs said one significant regret was not being able to resolve the disappearance of local resident Tamara Chipman who went missing in September 2005 while attempting to hitchhike from Prince Rupert to Terrace.

鈥淚 worked very closely with her parents. It happened early on [when I arrived here], and I very much wanted to bring a resolution for them about Tamara,鈥� he said at the time.

Stubbs takes over an Ottawa police force that gained national prominence and criticism during the weeks-long occupation in February by people protesting COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and vaccines.