Before entering politics, Bill served the people of Toronto for over 39 years, starting as a beat officer in downtown Toronto and continuing with assignments in drug enforcement, organized crime units, and major criminal investigations. In 2005, he was named Chief of the Toronto Police Service, overseeing the largest municipal police service in Canada, and one of the largest in North America. In this role, he oversaw important efforts to combat violent crime, while supporting local policing initiatives. He also served as President of both the Ontario and Canadian Associations of Chiefs of Police.

In recognition of his contributions to the policing profession, he was named a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. He is the proud recipient of the 2011 Beth Sholom Brotherhood Humanitarian Award, a member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, and was honoured in 2013 by the Canadian Tamil Congress for his leadership and tremendous service to the people of Toronto.

Since 2023, Bill has served as Canada’s Minister of National Defence, where he has been focused on ensuring members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the resources they need to defend Canada from coast to coast to coast. Before that, Bill served as Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Minister of Public Safety, and Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Criminology as well as a Certificate in Law Enforcement Administration from the University of Toronto, and a Certificate in Criminal Justice from the University of Virginia. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, the Police Leadership Program from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and the National Executive Institute.