THUNDER BAY – ANISHINAWBE – On Saturday, May 7, 2016, Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service Civilian Employee Jennifer Duncan was the recipient of the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement (OWLE) Civilian Award of Achievement.
The Civilian Award of Achievement is awarded to a civilian member of a law enforcement agency who contributes by way of outstanding or significant support to her law enforcement colleagues.
Jennifer Duncan has been employed in policing services for 25 years; her current position is the Criminal Intelligence Analyst. Through data, trends, and analysis of youth crime statistics, she was able to take opportunities to write grant proposals, choosing the grants that would be of benefit to aboriginal youth:
- Project Firefly Project Firefly initiated the TAPP-C Program (The Arson Prevention Program for Children) for youth between 7 and 12 years of age and was designed for police and other front-line community-based agencies to work together collaboratively to address the issues of fire safety and arson prevention., and had contributed to an 18% reduction in arson in the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service communities.
- Project Northstar’s objective was to educate, mentor and protect the youth of the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN) about the realities of gang life. A designated police officer worked on this project in partnership with Youth Probation and Parole.
- The Community Mobilization Youth Officer position addressed the data driven occurrences that bring youth at risk to be law involved and law involved youth a place to commence the program. Aboriginal youth comprise particularly vulnerable population especially in rural and remote areas however; they are also noted to be more resilient and able to overcome. The creation of this program officer had alleviated some of the overtasking of NAPS front-line officers, and reinforced partnerships with NAN Legal Services, the John Howard Society, and Youth Probation & Parole.
- Project Nexus addresses alcohol and drug abuse and is comprised of two components; one being operational, and the other educational. The operational component addressed contraband being sent via the mail stream. The education component provides a new take on the effects of alcohol use and abuse with a focus on the direct relation to violence.
To date, Jennifer’s grant application efforts have brought a total of $400,000.00 extra dollars into Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service’s budget to address specific criminality in a broad and significant way. In addition, Jennifer’s duties include the participation in the Aboriginal Street Gang Working Group, and leading the team in the current five-year strategic business plan. Jennifer is also known to volunteer within her community; she has a position on the Board of Directors of the John Howard Society. Our congratulations are extended towards Jennifer Duncan and her achievements.
The object of the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement is to encourage, promote and advance women in law enforcement.
The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service serves 34 First Nation communities in the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Territory.
