Hon. Sylvia Jones

Hon. Sylvia Jones has served as the Member of Provincial Parliament Dufferin-Caledon since 2007.

Currently she is serving as the Solicitor General and before that she was the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

Sylvia also served as the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition from September 2015 to May 2018.

Previous to that, her many critic responsibilities included:

– Critic for the Ministry of Transportation

– Critic for the Ministry of Infrastructure

– Critic for the Ministry of Children and Youth Services

– Critic for the Attorney General

– Critic for the Ministry of Government Services

– Critic for Women’s Issues

– Critic for the Ministry of Community and Social Services

Since being elected in 2007, Sylvia has introduced many pieces of legislation that have been adopted into government legislation and have become law, including the Social Assistance Statute Law Amendment Act, the Aggregate Recycling Promotion Act and the Respecting Private Property Act.

Sylvia has lived in Orangeville for over 30 years with her husband David. They are proud parents of two children.

Chief Paul VandeGraaf

Paul VandeGraaf was appointed as the 13th Chief of Police of the Cobourg Police Service on August 15, 2019, by the Cobourg Police Services Board.

Paul began his policing career in 1991 as a member of the Belleville Police Service, working as a front-line Constable. Over the course of his career, Paul has held a number of progressively responsible positions including; Community Policing Officer, Bike Patrol, Traffic Services, Criminal Investigations focusing on sexual assault and child abuse investigations, Uniform Staff Sergeant, Inspector and finally appointed as the Deputy Chief of Police for the Belleville Police in 2010.

On November 10, 2014, Paul was appointed as the Deputy Chief for the Cobourg Police Service. Chief VandeGraaf is a member of the Canadian and Ontario Associations of Chiefs of Police. Paul currently serves as the Vice Chair of the National Joint Committee Of Senior Criminal Justice Officials and a Board Member for the Ontario Police Technology Information Cooperative (OPTIC).

Paul has always been and continues to be a strong believer in community volunteerism. Paul’s previous volunteer efforts have been with minor hockey in roles, including Vice-President, Victim Services and others. Paul has been an active Rotarian with both the Rotary Club of Belleville and now Cobourg. Paul served as Club President in Belleville in 2013-2014 being recognized with a Presidential Citation with Distinction and being awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship. Currently, Paul is honoured to be a member of the YMCA Northumberland Board of Directors and Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre. In September 2016, Paul was invested as a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by his Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston.

Chief VandeGraaf is committed to enhancing the effectiveness of operational policing services through effective deployment of resources in what has become known as “tiered policing.” This shared vision with the Cobourg Police Services Board will ensure that there are long-term strategies to build a strong, innovative and fiscally responsible Service for the Town of Cobourg.

Stefan Schurman

Stefan Schurman has spent the past 4+ years at Axon helping law enforcement and public safety agencies to be more efficient through the use of technology. Stefan has over 20 years of technology experience working for both large enterprises and tech start-ups. He holds a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from Carleton University.

Monique Rollin, Canadian Critical Incident Inc. 

Monique Rollin is a highly experienced senior police leader of 31 years’ service with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service possessing demonstrated abilities to lead diverse teams to high levels of success.

Monique is an experienced Crisis Negotiator, Incident Commander and provincially qualified police trainer instructing police officers as leaders, frontline supervisors, sexual assault & domestic violence investigators, financial crime investigators, Crisis/Hostage Negotiators and Critical Incident Commanders.

Monique also trains police communicators, Special Constables and First Responders in the skills of crisis communications and de-escalation. Monique has extensive executive level leadership experience in Critical Incident Command, International Mass Casualty Disaster Management, maritime and border security, major crimes, police operations, tactical command, technological and administrative environments.

Brian Lass, Toronto Community Housing .

Over the last 15 years, Brian Lass has acquired a peculiar tertiary skillset - within the realm of both law enforcement and legal advocacy. Currently, Brian holds the rank of Sergeant Special Constable – in his current role of Executive Officer to the Chief & Deputy Chief Special Constables with the Toronto Community Housing, Community Safety Unit.

Brian is former Crown Prosecutor with GO Transit/ Metrolinx - a Crown Agency of the Province of Ontario - and Licensed Paralegal with the Law Society of Ontario. The aforementioned (of which) found Brian regularly appearing in 11+ jurisdictional branches of the Ontario Court of Justice, and prosecuting under Part's I, II, and III of the Provincial Offences Act - under an array of provincial statutes and regulatory Bylaws.

Some of Brian's notable achievements include Executive Member of the Board with the Regulatory Compliance & Enforcement Council, published contributor to Blue Line Magazine - Canada's largest law enforcement publication, and sought-after author by Emond Publishing – Canada's largest publisher of Law Enforcement & Legal Textbooks – to author the Official Special Constable Handbook for the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

Further, Brian is a recognized provincial & regulatory offences subject matter expert, and has most recently been called upon to act as requisite provincial offences instructor for the Toronto Police College - specific to the Toronto Police Service Neighborhood Community Officer Program, the Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario - specific to their Compliance Officials Program, and Algoma Public Health - specific to their Public Health Inspectors.

Moreover, Brian facilitates his own YouTube Channel - creating content for the law enforcement & legal professions, as well as creating & hosting live, interactive, educational Webinars - reflective of requisite legal subject matter.

Brian is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School - York University, with respect to both the Certificate in Provincial Offences Practice, and Certificate in Adjudication for Administrative Tribunals, Boards, and Agencies.

As well, Brian has most recently successfully participated in the Criminal Investigator Training (CIT) Certification, through the Ontario Police College and Brantford Police Service.

Tim Hodgins, Ottawa Police Service.

Tim Hodgins has been a member of the Ottawa Police Service for 34 years. He is currently a senior officer in the Criminal Intelligence Directorate.

Tim's background is in organizational change, strategy development, police operations and investigations. His policing background has primarily been spent in the investigations stream of policing.

At several ranks, Tim has spent time in uniform, the Vice Unit, Drug Unit, Provincial Illegal Gaming Unit, Mobile Surveillance teams, Homicide, Guns and Gangs Unit and Criminal Intelligence Unit.

Tim is also the Training Director with the Ontario Gang Investigators Association (ONGIA).

Aderonke Daramola, Health AX.

Aderonke Daramola completed her first undergraduate degree in Exercise & Sport Sciences (B.Sc.) at Quincy University in Illinois. While acquiring this degree, she competed at the elite level in Basketball, Volleyball and Track and Field.

While competing at the elite level, her body’s energy demands had increased. Oblivious to the body’s need for more nutrients, she continued to eat as usual. Each nutrient deficiency affected her performance on the court and field.

Upon graduating in December 2007, Aderonke was employed as a personal trainer and fitness instructor. Her extensive knowledge in sports and fitness has led her to conduct health seminars at different organizations.

Subsequently, she continued her studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) from Trent University. Upon graduation, she was employed as a Nurse manager at The Woodhaven Long Term Care Residence in Markham Ontario. Three months later, she was employed at the North York General Hospital as a resource nurse where she delivered treatment with an emphasis on assessment, education, prevention, maintenance, and restoration of health. The area of nursing she has worked include Mental health, pediatrics, oncology, orthopedics, neurology/stroke, acute care unit (medicine), cardiology/telemetry, gastrointestinal/respiratory, general surgery, and the rehabilitation unit. Currently, she provides health consulting and organic product distribution worldwide.

Nik Fiorito, Lead Strategist, First Response Mental Health.

Nik has been developing and managing projects in the software and tech industry since 2012. His role as Project Lead involves managing research and development, client relations, training, and marketing. Nik led the design for the initial development of PeerConnect, working with Superior North EMS refining the system to meet the unique requirements of a modern peer support/wellness program.

Nik is a busy man with a lot on his plate, including a family of eight, but he knows First Response Mental Health is doing important work to ensure those who encounter intense and stressful situations don’t have to face them alone.

Dilnaz Garda, Toronto Beyond The Blue.

Dilnaz Garda, a high school teacher with the York Regional District School Board, is dedicated to sharing her personal experience with mental illness in the hopes of encouraging others to share their stories and join in the movement of normalizing discussion around mental health.

In 2016, tragedy struck her family when Toronto Police Constable Darius Garda, brother of Dilnaz, died by suicide while dealing with PTSD and other mental health issues.

As the current President of Toronto Beyond The Blue, Dilnaz works to make a sustainable cultural shift in the area of mental health and well-being for TPS officers/members and their families.

Dave McLennan, Boots On The Ground.

Boots on the Ground was started by Dave McLennan, a dedicated Police Officer who, on the verge of retirement, felt called to continue to serve his community in a new way. He had become passionate about the impact that exposure to trauma was having on police officers and other first responders and he believed that he could bring together a group of dedicated volunteers to help make a difference.

Dave was able to engage a group of dedicated retired and serving police officers who worked together to establish a confidential peer support program that is available 24/7.

Norman E. Taylor, President, Global Network for Community Safety.

Norman E. Taylor has been an independent advisor, educator, author and  researcher for 40 years, concentrating his practice in the field of policing and public safety for the past 25 years. Between 2008-17, he spent much of his professional life in Saskatchewan as a Senior Advisor to the Deputy Ministry of Justice: Corrections and Policing. 

His 2009 Future of Policing report to that Ministry set the stage for  the whole-of-government approach to crime reduction, and he and his advisory team have been widely recognized as co-founders and architects of the high-profile 

Community Mobilization Prince Albert model. Norm also served for two years as a Lead Advisor to  the Ontario Working Group, and through 2014-17 he served often as a Special Advisor to Ontario’s  Deputy Minister of Community Safety, assisting with the formulation and initial roll-out of the  Strategy for a Safer Ontario, enacted into provincial law in spring 2018. 

In 2014, Norm co-founded the Global Network for Community Safety and he and his Global Network  partners continue to support jurisdictions across North America in the adoption of multi-sector solutions and social innovation strategies. Norm and his team have been instrumental in transforming public service and supporting the advancement of community safety and well-being (CSWB) concepts across Canada and into the USA. During 2018-19, the Global Network team led a 

collaborative project among the Ontario Chief Coroner’s office, police, and special constables across  the rail and transit systems to develop and introduce the Ontario Collaborative Protocol for Rail Death Investigations. 

Since 2002, Norm has served as co-founder and Program Director of the Canadian Association of  Chiefs of Police (CACP) Executive Global Studies Program where he has led over 200 Canadian police leaders through global research studies in 50 countries. Norm also serves on the CACP International Policing Committee, was a founding member of the CACP E-Crime Cyber Crime Council, and is also an associate member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). 

Norm is widely recognized as a speaker and moderator having led several high-profile national  conferences for the CACP and others. In 2017, Norm was named to the Expert Panel of the Council of Canadian Academies to help guide and co-author a 24-month research assessment and report,  Toward Peace, Harmony & Well-being: Policing with Indigenous Communities, released in April 2019.  He also served as Moderator and Lead Writer for the Ontario Chief Coroner’s 2019 Expert Panel 

report on Police Officer Deaths by Suicide, Staying Visible Staying Connected For Life.

In February 2016, Norm was named by the CSKA Board of Directors to serve as founding Editor-in chief of the peer-reviewed Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB). Recently under his  leadership, the Journal became the official publication of the International Law Enforcement Public 

Health (LEPH) movement. Norm is a recipient of the Saskatchewan Premier’s Award for Excellence in

Public Administration (Innovation 2014); the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award (CACP 2012);  the Governor General’s Gold Medal for Academic Excellence (Athabasca University 2008); and in  2018 he was awarded an Honorary Queen’s Commission with the Ontario Provincial Police.

Andrew Hammond - Ontario Gang Investigators Association.

Andrew Hammond has been a police officer for over 14 years working on investigative files, community police work, and multijurisdictional wiretap projects. His work primarily focuses on street gangs which led him to his current position as a court-qualified gang expert.

Over the past three years, he has spoken to over 500 gang members gathering information not only about the complexities of gang violence but also about the current gang trends in Ontario.

In 2018, he has contributed to the National street gang definition, participated in an international panel of experts on responding to gangs, guns, and violence in Ontario as well as an expert panel for the Planning for Community Safety and Well-Being in Ontario. Andrew has consulted with various law enforcement agencies throughout North America on gang reduction strategies and gang intelligence.

He lectures across Canada on current gang trends, gang migration, gang indicia, gangs, and human trafficking, and how social media is fueling gang violence.

Stephanie Nassis - Toronto Police Service, Member Support Coordinator;

With over 20 years of policing experience in the Greater-Toronto-Area, Stephanie’s profession has exposed her to a wide range of critical incidents such as traffic fatalities, sudden deaths, homicides, and suicides. Through these experiences, Stephanie has come to intuitively understand the effects of stress on the body and how it can develop into more complex health concerns if ignored.

Stephanie recognizes the importance of having a proactive approach to sustainable mental health that includes techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and trauma-sensitive yoga, and adequate nutrition.

She is an expert in stress recognition and is a police trainer for the education-based program designed to address and promote mental health called “The Working Mind First Responders” (TWMFR), formerly known as “Road to Mental Readiness.”

Stephanie has received accredited training by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates (FBINAA) as a certified Comprehensive Officer Resiliency Instructor in the State of Georgia.

 As a mental health advocate, Stephanie is a client-focused and wellness-based consultant that educates those drawing upon her own mental health survival techniques that touch upon work-life balance, and the importance of mental and emotional equilibrium.