Nova Scotia police watchdog appoints new director

Nova Scotia's police watchdog has appointed a new director.

Alonzo Wright is a senior Crown attorney with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service. Wright's appointment with the Nova Scotia Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) takes effect on Jan. 9.

Wright replaces retired Crown attorney John Scott, who was appointed interim director when Felix Cacchione retired last May, according to a press release from the Nova Scotia Department of Justice.

The release noted Wright is a graduate of Dalhousie University's Schulich School of Law and has been a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society since 1995.

Wright has practised criminal law as a prosecutoracross the province, the news release noted.He has also worked for the federal Department of Justice, and has been a municipal Crown attorney with the Halifax Regional Municipality.

SIRTinvestigatesserious incidents involving police, independent of both government and police. It investigates deaths, serious injuries, sexual assaults and domestic violenceor "other matters of significant public interest that may have arisenfrom the actions of any municipal police or RCMP officer across the province."

Wright willbe overseeing a team of four investigators and an administrative support person, the press release noted.