Female Officers in of Women Policing in Ontario 1986 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2012 662 1464 2434 3076 3889 4743 4917

(1986: Statistics begins to track female police officers for the first time)

1913 Mary M. Minty, Maria J. Levitt: 1970 Maureen Grant, Christine Silverberg: 1975 Police Service changed title 1986 Laurie Hayman: 2001 Sue O’Sullivan: of Policewomen to Police Police’s 1st female Officers Police Service’s 1st female Officers St. Thomas Police Service’s 1st female Officer, Police Service’s 1st female Deputy Chief Ontario Women in Law Enforcement (OWLE) 1st female Sergeant (1994), Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service’s 1st female Chief (2012) is an organization that grew from an idea Joy Villeneuve: Flora Campbell: 2004 Wendy Southall: to bring together female members from law DID YOU KNOW? York Service’s 1st female Officer ’s 1st female Officer Niagara Regional Police Service’s 1st female enforcement fields from across the . Prior to 1974 policing in Ontario had been a male 1988 Linda Doggett: Chief, OWLE Heritage Award for Lifetime Service’s 1st female Sergeant Achievement (2012) preserve. The 1974 Task Force in Policing in Ontario Rita Westbrook, Paula Seidenkranz, Police services within Ontario are either recommended that: Ontario police forces be DID YOU KNOW? encouraged by the Ministry of the Solicitor General Louise English, Barb Kelly, too small or simply do not employ significant Jane Wilcox: Women who were employed in policing in the early and the Ontario Police Commission to recruit female Debbie Nowak, Chris Hughes: 1990 Vicky Redmond: 2005 numbers of females to form individual st st 1900s were college educated, middle to upper class, police officers for specialized and general duties, Waterloo Regional Police Service Strathroy Police Service’s 1 female Officer ’s 1 female st st organizations. OWLE provides an opportunity with no thoughts of upward mobility (Kurtz et al., with the opportunity for advancement equal to their 1 female Officers, 1 female Detective Unit Commander (Sex Crimes Unit) (Westbrook - 1984) for members to network and access professional 2012). Equality was not an issue, as most women male counterparts, and that there be no discrimination believed policemen were beneath them in social class, according to sex in recruiting or promotional Marsha Geling: development opportunities. Recognizing that Tracy David: demeanour, and education (Archbold & Schulz, 2012; opportunities. Aylmer Police Service’s 1st female Officer (1991) there exists strength in unity and numbers, st Rabe-Hemp, 2009). DID YOU KNOW? after serving as Auxiliary Hanover Police Service’s 1 female Chief Ontario Women in Law Enforcement encourages In 1976 the moved to its women from each and every police service, 1974 Ontario Provincial Police embark on a recruitment 2006 Beverly Anne Busson: initiative to train and employ Policewomen, present facility located at 10716 Hacienda Rd, Aylmer 1994 Lenna Bradburn: and other affiliated law enforcement agencies 1958 Joan Coppin (nee McMaster): equal in all respects to their male counterparts ON providing much needed co-ed accommodations Police Service 1st female Chief (with the first women’s Troop 17 in 1974) - st st Royal Canadian ’s 1 female within the province of Ontario, to collectively st for recruits. (Canada’s 1 female Chief) one of Metropolitan Toronto Police’s 1 female Commissioner Officers, Canada’s 1st female Detective address their common interests and concerns. The first ever 15 women graduated from the Recruit Orientation Class and were all sworn in as Provincial Women have been policing in Ontario since 1961 Florence Hayashi: 1977 Robin Jones: DID YOU KNOW? 2009 Cory McMullan: st st Belleville Police Service’s 1 female Chief 1913. The increasing numbers of women in (with ) North America’s 1 female to transfer to OPP as commissioned In 1997 the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement st policing are part of a longer-term trend evident 1 female Japanese Canadian Officer Donna Moody: officer - (1992). Nishnawbe-Aski was granted official affiliate status with the Police Service 1st female Deputy Chief (2008). International Association of Women Police (IAWP). st Niagara Regional Police Service’s 1 female st since the 1960s. Over the past decade alone, NAPS 1 female A/Chief (2009). Confirmed Chief The IAWP is a world-wide organization of women 2012 Jennifer Evans: Detective Constable, 1st female Sergeant, Dec (2010). OWLE Heritage Award for Lifetime st the proportion of women policing in Ontario Fern Alexander: st police and law enforcement professionals who Service’s 1 female Chief, 1962 1 female Deputy Chief (2001), OWLE Heritage Achievement (2011) recipient of the OWLE Presidential Award (2012) has increased. As of 2012, 18.7% or 4917 (with Toronto Police Service) Canada’s Award for Lifetime Achievement (2000) operate on the same principles as Ontario Women st in Law Enforcement, but on a global scale of the 26,274 officers serving in the province of 1 female Inspector 1979 Denise LaBarge: with an annual training conference. Ontario were women (Statistic Canada, 2013). Sylvia Boswell, Maureen Grant, 2013 Kimberley Greenwood: York Regional Police Service 1st female Cadet, Dorothy Hart: Police Service’s 1st female Chief 1963 Christine Silverberg: 1st female recruit from OPC st Thorold Police Department’s 1 female Officer, (the newly amalgamated) Peel Regional Police 1996 Penny Craig: (the newly amalgamated) Niagara Regional Service’s 1st female Officers, Hamilton Wentworth st st Rama Police Service’s 1st female Officer Police Service’s (NRPS) 1 female Officer (1971) Regional Police’s 1 female Deputy Chief 1980 Terry James: (Silverberg - 1990), Police Service’s 1st Female Chief (Silverberg - 1995) Toronto Police Service’s 1st black female Officer, YOU ARE THE FUTURE 1964 Dolores Eitel: retired as Sergeant (2012) Dr. Amy Ramsay: OF WOMEN IN POLICING. Hamilton Police Service’s 1st female Sergeant founded Ontario Women in Law Enforcement, Mary Staughton (Cline): served as 1st president (1996-2001) 1986 Sandy Crozier, Elaina Taylor: “ What, after all, is the purpose of a woman’s life? (The newly amalgamated) Halton Regional The purpose of a woman’s life is just the same as Police Service’s 1st female Officer Woodstock Police Service’s 1st female Officers, 1965 Linda Paul: st the purpose of a man’s life: that she may make (originally from Hamilton Police Service) 1 Sergeant (Taylor - 1997) 1998 Gwen Boniface: Service’s 1st female Officer, the best possible contribution to the generation st 1st female Sergeant (1981) Ontario Provincial Police’s 1 female Commissioner, in which she is living.” OWLE Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement (2013) Louise McKinney (1868-1931)