William McCormack, a former Bermuda police officer who went on to become the Metro Toronto police chief, has died at the age of 83.

The son of an Irish police officer, Mr McCormack came to Bermuda in 1955 after a period of service in the British Merchant Navy. He was soon assigned to patrol Hamilton, and later became a parish constable for Smith’s and Hamilton Parish. Mr McCormack met his wife, Jean, while on the island, marrying her at St Theresa’s Church in 1958 before taking a post in Toronto the following year.

He was later moved to the homicide division and rose up the ranks until becoming the chief of police in 1989 — a post he held until 1995. After his retirement, he published a book of his experiences, Life on Homicide; A Police Detective’s Memoir, which was published in 2005.