Justice and Public Safety
May 16, 2016

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General:

Women in Leadership Law Enforcement Program Kicks Off in St. John's

Mr. Speaker, as we begin National Police Week, it was an honour this morning to help kick off the Women in Leadership Law Enforcement session being held at the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary's Memorial Campus in St. John's.

Twenty intelligent and ambitious women from the RNC, RCMP, Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Division, Sheriff's Office, and Adult Custody are participating in the program this week which is based on the Legacy Leadership model.

The goal is to encourage female leadership in law enforcement agencies and to develop networks among women who work in law enforcement. The 20 women I spoke to this morning have been identified as leaders or emerging leaders by their respective organizations and the session will be highly interactive and experiential.

Mr. Speaker, while we have come a long way in terms of gender equity in law enforcement in Newfoundland and Labrador, there is still plenty of work to do; particularly in the senior ranks. Our hope is that programs such as this result in more women in leadership roles.

Law enforcement careers are stressful and strong leadership talent is critical to ensuring the safety and security of our communities. The women participating in this week's training have been encouraged to use the knowledge and skills they gain to become talented leaders and mentors to those they supervise.

Mr. Speaker, good leaders are sometime hard to find. I believe all the women participating this week have great potential and I look forward to seeing them advance in their careers.

Thank you.

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2016 05 16                              1:50 p.m.