Our People 2023

New Chief Administrative Officer Lauren Jackson

In 2023, Lauren Jackson was hired and was sworn in as our Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). This civilian position, equivalent to a Deputy Chief, plays an integral role within our Executive Team. CAO Jackson comes with vast experience working with policing, fire, paramedic, justice and security agencies at all three levels of government within Canada and internationally. She is also an active participant in her community and has held volunteer roles within health care and social services agencies. Her wealth of knowledge will greatly benefit Peel Regional Police and our community.

CAO Jackson has extensive experience in providing guidance, direction and purposeful leadership in managing complex operational and administrative change initiatives. She, alongside Deputy Chiefs Andrews, Dapat, Milinovich and Odoardi, will provide strategic leadership, direction and oversight for the general business, administration and support functions across our organization. The CAO will specifically oversee Corporate Support Services, comprised of Finance and Planning, Materials Management and Human Resources.

“[The new CAO] brings 14 years of demonstrated expertise in providing guidance, direction and purposeful leadership in managing complex operational and administrative change initiatives across both public and private sectors.”

~Chief Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Regional Police

New NCO Promotional Process: Promoting Leaders Through Competence and Character 

A project team was assigned to transform the promotional process of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) (Sergeant/Detective and Staff Detective/Sergeant ranks) in response to member feedback received through various channels, including an employee survey, focus groups and Coffee with the Chief events.  

The project team engaged with senior leadership to gather their input to ensure the revamped process aligned with organizational goals. The fundamental objective of the 2023 NCO Promotional Process was to promote qualified candidates who possess the knowledge, work experience, skills, abilities and competencies required to succeed in a leadership role.

The goals and objectives of the revamped promotional process are:

• Fair and balanced – equally accessible to all members and contributing to organizational stability
• Work-Life balance – supports balance for the membership
• Transparent – provide honest and open feedback throughout every stage in the process
• Streamlined – minimize the time and resources required in the hiring process
• Merit-based – a system that emphasizes leadership competence and character
• Culture – promoting leaders that reflect the aspirational vision and culture of the organization

In 2023 there were 38 officers promoted to the rank of Sergeant/Detective and eight officers promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant/Detective Sergeant. This is a 53% increase over 2022. An annual process review will occur to ensure the process is continually evolving to best meet the needs of our members.

Launch of Leadership Development Program: Direction not Perfection

In response to the needs expressed through the 2023 Employee Engagement Survey, the Leadership Development Program (LDP) was developed for our members. Regardless of rank or position, this voluntary program is available to all members throughout their career, at every level of the organization and is designed to provide our members with the tools needed for self-development, to help achieve both career goals and growth as leaders.

The LDP is specifically tailored to the individual, offering a diverse set of opportunities appropriately paced based on the goals identified and set by the program participant. The vision behind this program is to strengthen the quality, experience and expertise already present within the membership of Peel Regional Police. The model of leadership focuses on individual competency-based learning and team-based approaches, encouraging the participant towards a common organizational direction.

The flexibility of the LDP allows members to adjust their goals throughout the program. It also provides the opportunity for the Leadership Development Office to explore recommendations to improve on what works and discontinue what does not. There were 150 members who completed the initial assessment for the Leadership Development Program in 2023.

Employee Pulse Survey

Peel Regional Police conducted an Employee Pulse Survey through a third-party, inviting input from members to ensure all employee voices were heard and acknowledged. Members willingly shared their expertise, perspectives and experiences to help determine where we need to focus our attention to continuously improve. The information gathered will direct our path forward to make meaningful and effective changes within our organization.

Of those who responded to the Employee Pulse Survey, close to 80 per cent of our members indicated they intend to remain working with Peel Regional Police within a year’s time and 80 per cent intend to be employed by Peel Regional Police five years from now. Sixty-four per cent feel listened to and understood by their immediate supervisor.

We will continue to establish initiatives that enhance our organization and commit to providing a forum for members to provide feedback that outlines opportunities for improvement. 

Expect Respect: Working Together to Maintain a Safe, Harassment-Free Workplace

The Expect Respect Campaign is a component of Peel Regional Police’s Respectful Workplace Program. When members feel respected, they feel psychologically safe and are more likely to be forward-thinking and make good decisions. Expect Respect is a reminder that we are not alone, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to maintain a safe work environment, by showing patience, understanding and choosing to be kind to one another.

As a natural extension of the Expect Respect Campaign, Peel Regional Police’s Human Resources Bureau hosted a very successful Respectful Workplace Symposium for our members. The guest speaker covered topics including understanding the dynamics of a psychologically safe workplace, identifying disrespectful and bullying behaviour and when and how to resolve a matter on your own or when to involve others. Members also learned ways to build trust with others, as well as how to approach people efficiently to avoid disputes and how to conduct and manage oneself through conflict. We encourage our members to be champions and to model the lessons learned to further the purpose of Expect Respect in our workplace. 

Formation of Peel Police Historical Society

Peel Regional Police’s Chief’s Ceremonial Guard, known as the Honour Guard, represents our organization by upholding its honour and traditions. In preparation for our 50^th anniversary celebration in 2024, the Honour Guard initiated the formation of a Historical Society. Their responsibility is to research and explore our history, becoming experts and promoters of Peel Regional Police’s history.

This is a volunteer driven initiative with participation from members from all areas of the organization, including retirees. This year, the volunteers met to discuss the history of Peel Regional Police and identified areas that need to be further researched.

The Historical Society will assist in the upkeep and expansion of the Peel Regional Police museum at Corporate Headquarters, the museum trailer as well as conduct presentations to members of Peel Regional Police.

If members of the public have items to share, please contact: historicalsociety@peelpolice.ca

Silver Certification in Excellence Canada’s Healthy Workplace Standard

In 2023, Peel Regional Police was awarded the Silver Level Certification in the Healthy Workplace Standard category by Excellence Canada, highlighting Peel Regional Police’s work towards fostering a healthy workplace, culture and environment.

The following programs and initiatives implemented across Peel Regional Police received recognition: 

• Mandatory Expect Respect Program
• Peer Support Program
• Early Intervention Software Program
• Reintegration Program (return to work)
• Annual Wellness Check-Ins
• Internal Support Networks (ISNs)
• Technology and mobile apps, including PeerOnCall, Wellness App and Project Shield
• Psychological support funding available for employees and family members

The Healthy Workplace Standard and Process, developed by Excellence Canada, assesses organizational wellness focused on leadership, people engagement, planning and programs and process and risk management. The pathway to certification involved meeting and exceeding rigorous standards. This is a substantial achievement for Peel Regional Police, demonstrating the hard work, dedication and collaboration displayed by our members daily. 

Wellness Check-In Program

The Wellness Check-In Program was designed by Peel Regional Police’s Wellness Bureau to support the mental health and well-being of our members who are currently assigned to ‘at risk’ bureaus. The program provides confidential appointments with one of four psychologists contracted to Peel Regional Police that are governed by the Ontario College of Psychologists. These visits allow both sworn and civilian members the opportunity to discuss what is important to them without the use of psychometric assessments. While the majority of visits have been online, our Wellness Bureau has implemented a hybrid model that offers both in-person and virtual appointments to allow members to get the most benefit from their visit. 

Launch of PeerOnCall App

Peel Regional Police is the first police service in Canada to be given access to the peer support app, PeerOnCall. It was designed by experts at McMaster University and the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment with support from Boots on the Ground, an Ontario-based peer support helpline for first responders, that is run by first responders. This app will eventually be rolled out to all public safety personnel across Canada.

Members in need of peer support can connect to Peer Support Team Members through this secure app, with anonymous text messaging capability and a voice chat platform. As standard procedure, all information is private and confidential. This app delivers relevant content that supports mental health, including videos, coping tips, educational resources, a personal wellness tool box, access to self-screening tools, the ability to schedule follow-ups and links to crisis support.

The PeerOnCall app is available to all PRP members.

Reintegration Program

Peel Regional Police initiated a reintegration program that is a member-driven and wellness-focused return to work program. Our Wellness Bureau trained an internal group of members as Reintegration Facilitators in trauma and evidence-informed approaches, and have since played a key role in increasing the number of individually tailored plans aimed at returning members to work in the healthiest way possible.

• The Short-Term Reintegration Program connects with members shortly after critical incidents, such as an officer-involved shooting.
• The Long-Term Reintegration Program supports officers recovering from operational stress injuries that may or may not be physical in nature.

This member-led program connects the individual to a peer with a similar lived experience and specific training to support the process. In 2023, 12 of our members participated in the Reintegration Program. This collaborative initiative includes the expertise of individuals from Wellness, the Training Bureau, Human Resources, the Peel Regional Police Association and Divisional Command. There has been increasing interest in this program throughout Peel Regional Police, indicating wide spread support for this new initiative.

New Autism Internal Support Network (ISN)

2.1 Cultural, Physical and Psychological Well-Being and Safety of Our Employees

Develop and promote initiatives to support the well-being and safety of our employees.

2.1.1 The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) conducted 228 workplace inspections to proactively identify hazards in the workplace. The JOHSC members liaised with the respective stakeholders across the organization to ensure all hazards were addressed in a timely manner.

2.1.2 Peel Regional Police was awarded Silver Level Certification by Excellence Canada in the category of Healthy Workplace Standard. The certification process involved assessing Peel Regional Police’s actions towards continually fostering a healthy workplace culture and environment for its employees. Examples of this included the expansion of the Wellness Check-In Program to include over 2,400 members in various ‘at-risk’ positions and the innovative/technological improvements to the Early Intervention System. It also included the continued development of the Reintegration Program, a streamlined, peer-driven return-to-work program for sworn and civilian employees that features an interactive process of mitigating the impact of a critical incident, physical injury or psychological injury.

2.1.3 Peel Regional Police has supported cultural, physical and psychological well-being and safety through initiatives including:

• Peer Support and Critical Incident Response Team added 15 new volunteer members who received training provided by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation
• Refresher training was provided to all 100 members of the existing Peer Support and Critical Incident Response Team, which will also be provided on an annual basis moving forward
• Development of online training for General Fire Safety Awareness
• Development of an online version of the Designated Worker Training Course to further support member participation in Peel Regional Police’s Health and Safety Program
• Enhancements made to the Ergonomic Assessment Program to provide additional educational resources to personnel regarding the prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) through ergonomic intervention

2.2 Employee Collaboration and Engagement

Focus on improving employee collaboration and engagement.

2.2.1 The Enterprise Governance Committee met monthly throughout 2023 to review ongoing and new projects and remediate any overlaps. Project Managers were assigned enterprise-level projects and met weekly to provide a collective update for all projects. 

2.2.2 Throughout 2023, 138 organizational messages from the Chief and Senior Leadership Team were complemented by 268 emails from Corporate Communications to increase employee awareness of organizational and community initiatives. Newsletters were identified as the most effective mode of communication, with 38 issued in 2023. Peel Regional Police continued to use a number of channels including our intranet portal, internal digital televisions and email bulletins to keep our members informed. We also improved communication to members by producing 160 internal videos and increased employee accessibility to live-streamed events from 14 to 20 (43 per cent increase).

2.2.3 An employee engagement pulse survey was conducted in 2023. Overall engagement results, at 63 per cent, were down slightly (-2 per cent) from the previous year. Results continue to support favourable reviews of direct managers. Coffee with the Chief sessions provided opportunities for direct discussion between members and the Chief and Deputies. Discussions continued with frontline focus group participants and the Frontline Enhancement Program was implemented to identify improvements to the frontline experience.

Feedback was solicited from members regarding the revised promotional process and will be used to identify improvements for the future. Training surveys continued to provide valuable feedback, while a number of areas used focus groups and/or surveys to gather employee feedback on potential organizational opportunities.

2.3 Invest in Our People

Provide resources and development opportunities for continued growth of staff.

2.3.1 Create and implement a staff development roadmap.

• The Leadership Development Program was launched in April 2023 with 250 individuals signed up to date. This program offers both online and in-person content, which is tailored to the individual, incorporating Type Coach training as well as online content in addition to one-on-one internal organizational coaching. Additionally, the Leadership Development Office continued to provide opportunities for growth to all members at all levels and ranks.
• Type Coach training continued with over 1,000 members completing the program, aiming to raise awareness of self and others and provide practical suggestions to improve interpersonal communication.
• In 2023, 500 members received access to Franklin Covey’s “All Access Pass,” providing both online and in-person opportunities to access leadership and professional development courses. This content includes topics such as 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Difficult Conversations and Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager.
• Heather Clayton Consulting continued to offer leadership training, including two additional cohorts of Women in Leadership and a training program for our Senior Leadership Team. Leadership Coaching Circles were embedded in this training, where leaders were coached on real challenges faced on a regular basis.
• Approximately 20 members were sent to the Canadian Police College’s Strategic Policing Through Action and Character (SPAC) course. In addition, external programs are continuously offered yearly, including the Ontario Police College’s Frontline Supervisor Course (FLS) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO).

2.3.2 Training and education related to development and leadership included:

• 298,306 hours spent in training by employees, an increase of 16 per cent from 2022
• 113 conferences attended, an increase of 14 per cent from 2022
• 1,701 temporary opportunities resulted in over 502,775 acting hours, a 14 per cent increase from 2022 (442,441)
• 144 employees enrolled in 447 continuing education courses
• 840 internal job postings
• The promotion of 60 officers, an increase of 67 per cent from 2022 (36) and the position advancement of 39 civilians, an increase of 18 per cent from 2022 (33)

2.3.3 Equipment and projects introduced to support safe and effective delivery of services included:

• A personal issue portable program to enhance officer safety and increase efficiency with the new P1 CAD system. Two divisions have been completed with the remaining to be completed in 2024.
• The replacement of MG90 modems by Cradle Point Modems in all cruisers. This initiative enabled In Car Camera (ICC) and Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems. 
• The implementation of Cradle Point Modems which is Peel’s private LTE network Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN). Ninety per cent of all Peel Regional Police traffic is over PSBN.
• The implementation of CAD/NG and the installation and replacement of hardware and software for the Community Safety Operations Centre.

2.3.4 Introduce, enhance and replace information and technology systems, in accordance with the Information and Technology Plan.

• In 2023, 124 desktop computers, 242 laptops, 150 monitors, six printers, 30 iPads and 228 iPhones were replaced.
• All frontline cruisers were outfitted with Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems and In Car Camera (ICC) units.
• Interview Room Video recording was updated to leverage cloud technology with enhanced redaction and automated transcription technology. This reduces manual transcription of video interviews and improves disclosure to court by eliminating the need to create video DVDs.
• Virtual desktop infrastructure was upgraded to improve members’ remote access capabilities while reducing cybersecurity risks of remote access solutions.
• IT Service Desk Hours were expanded to 5 a.m. to midnight, a 90 per cent increase in the amount of IT support available to members.

2.3.5 Facilities projects, in accordance with the Facilities Plan, was undertaken and completed in 2023 to include:

• Emil V.Kolb Centre (EVKC) Interior Renovations – Offender Management Unit, Auxiliary, Recruiting, Analytics and Emergency Support Services
• Sir Robert Peel Centre (SRPC) Phase 1 – Parking Lot Revitalization
• EVKC Data Room New Computer Room Air Conditioner Unit
• Material Management Centre – Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
• Organizational Wellness – New Space
• Davis Courthouse – Interior Renovations
• 11 Division – Phase 1 Female Locker Room Expansion
• EVKC Gun Range
• Gore Meadows Community Station
• Material Management Centre Humidification and Ventilation

2.4 Professional and Skilled Employees that Represent Our Community

Attract and retain skilled employees who represent our community.

2.4.1 Peel Regional Police’s Recruiting and Staff Support area continued to use an online recruiting approach. Instagram followers, which more than doubled since 2022, showcased the policing profession through a variety of events that represent all members of the community. In 2023, we had great success hosting in-house recruiting events, including the Women’s Symposium, 911 Career Fair and collaborating with colleges through the “FIT Challenge” and “Before the Badge” program. We leveraged 554 outreach recruiting initiatives and forums to boost uniform applications, increasing outreach initiatives by 136 per cent from 2022 (235). Throughout 2023, our Recruiting Bureau received 2,280 uniform applications and the Civilian Recruiting Team continued to use online testing and remote interviewing to align with protocol.

2.4.2 Designated groups were represented in the organization: 36 per cent females, 34 per cent racialized and visible minorities, one per cent persons with disabilities and one per cent Indigenous.

2.4.3 Attrition rates were three per cent for officers and five per cent for civilians.

2.4.4 Throughout 2023, we had 404 new hires (125 officers, 255 civilians and 24 cadets), which included: 250 (62 per cent) racialized, 176 (44 per cent) female, two (one per cent) Indigenous and nine (two per cent) persons with disabilities.