Barrie Police officer receives national, international recognition with Excellence in Performance Awards
Ontario, International Women in Policing groups recognize local officer's commitment
Barrie Police Staff Sgt. Valarie Gates has earned some bragging rights.
The officer has been awarded the Excellence in Performance Award from both the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement (OWLE) and the International Association of Women in Policing (IAWP). The awards recognize her commitment to relationship-building, supporting victims, and improving overall community safety.
“Through her dedication and leadership, S/Sgt Gates has made extensive contributions to policing initiatives and has worked tirelessly to procure grants, in excess of $2.1 million, for her police service and community,” reads a statement from the OWLE, pointing out that funding has supported a number of local projects. “One of the projects includes My Word Counts – Reducing the Barriers for the Reporting of Sexual Violence. In January 2021, the project launched an anonymous reporting system, using the app Speak Out to report abuse.”
S/Sgt. Gates can also be credited with kicking off many community-based initiatives within the service, including the Safer Communities Through Collaborative Justice project. This aims to identify best practices and provide the framework necessary to create a sustainable justice alternative through the establishment of a Justice Centre.
Given her commitment to the service and community, Barrie Police Chief Kimberley Greenwood had no issue nominating her officer. “It was definitely an honour to nominate Staff Sergeant Val Gates for this law enforcement excellence in performance award for her outstanding performance over multiple years,” Chief Greenwood told Barrie 360. “She is definitely committed to relationship building, supporting victims of crime, improving overall community safety and well-being.”
S/Sgt Gates began her policing career in Peel Region in 1997, joining the Barrie Police Service in 2002. Since then, she’s worked in multiple units across the service, including Investigative Services, and Policy and Planning. She is currently attached to the Operational Services Unit, overseeing the Community Response Unit.
Feature image courtesy Ontario Women in Law Enforcement via Twitter
