As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it is important to recognize the remarkable contributions of female police officers and civilian members across Canada. These dedicated professionals play a pivotal role in maintaining public safety, upholding justice, and fostering community trust.

More than 10 years ago, on behalf of the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), I assisted in the creation of the Reach For It! Program – a recreational program that partners police officers with youth who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Police work is stressful. Police service members, whether sworn or civilian, can be exposed to trauma, including fatalities, violent crimes, accidents, and domestic situations.

Link here for the HQ Winter 2024 edition in flip book format.

The CLA remains committed to working with the federal government, law enforcement, and stakeholders to design a framework that balances consumer protection with credit access. Let’s ensure we do not inadvertently harm the very people we aim to protect. Policies that limit access to regulated credit must be implemented with caution to avoid creating vulnerabilities.

If you are aspiring to become a police officer in Ontario, obtaining your OACP Certificate is an essential first step. This online testing process is designed to streamline candidates through the Constable Selection System (CSS), ensuring you are well-prepared for the rigorous and exciting recruitment journey ahead.

Police are increasingly in the spotlight and constantly second guessed. Actions are filmed, and police are tried in the court of media opinion based on half the story. Activist groups want to isolate and defund police services. Police are asked to be mental health workers first. Our bail and parole systems are badly broken, with criminals back on the street before the paperwork is filed.

If you are passionate about making a difference in your community, policing might be the perfect path for you. The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) Constable Selection System (CSS) emphasizes qualities such as integrity, honesty, and a commitment to public safety, qualities that resonate with those driven to serve. However, it is more than just enforcing the law.

On June 1, 2024, a new chapter began in Ontario’s approach to police recruitment with the launch of the Personality Research Form – Revised (PRF-R) for Policing. Developed by SIGMA Assessment Systems in partnership with TNT Justice Consultants and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP),

Ironically, not understanding your strengths can amplify your weaknesses by leading you to hold back when the potential for your impact is greatest. This problem is compounded by the premium we tend to put on humility. For fear of coming across as arrogant, we hold back even more, but the result can be that we leave important opportunities for serving others on the table.

I had trouble figuring out where to begin this year’s renewed version of the Police Leadership Program. The challenge was too many options. The leadership issues in policing today range all the way, for example, from community mental health to organizational budgeting to technical skill development.

Yet leadership effectiveness is, simply put, about people understanding people. It is a skillset that can be learned, and that depends quite simply on leaders investing in themselves. With social-scientific discoveries, self-awareness, and powers of observation and communication, leaders can pull others together around a common goal. Among others, the below three skill sets help to get you there: