Back to SearchSuperintendent Joanna Beaven-Desjardins of the Toronto Police Service (TPS) is the recipient of the 2021 Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police’s (OACP) Excellence in Leadership Award for her outstanding work in leading her service’s planning and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early in January 2020, Superintendent Beaven-Desjardins, commander of the Emergency Management & Public Order Unit (EMPO), recognized a potential threat in an unknown respiratory disease emerging on the other side of the globe. Uncertain of any risks to the Toronto Police Service, Superintendent Beaven-Desjardins directed her team at EMPO to monitor the situation and to review and update the TPS 2009 Pandemic Plan.
Once a global pandemic was declared, Superintendent Beaven-Desjardins became COVID-19 Incident Commander, providing direct advisory support to the Chief of Police and leadership for the entire organization. Under the Superintendent’s leadership, significant and long-lasting positive changes – including a significant digital transformation – took place at the Toronto Police Service.
These transformative changes include:
- Formation of a parallel group of key members of the TPS, including members from the Wellness, Labour Relations, Corporate Communications units, and the Toronto Police Association, which was an unprecedented move for the TPS at the time
- Development of solid and long-lasting relationship within TPS that resulted in units that had rarely crossed paths in the past came together in innovative problem solving;
- Creation of a comprehensive document serving as a foundation for police services to meet the consequences of future public health emergencies;
- Creation of 31 new application suites ranging from crime trend tracking to forecasting member sickness rates;
- Development of new and extensive, remote work capability and capacity which not only serves to protect the membership from exposure but also ensures the continuity of TPS work throughout successive COVID-19 surges, and
- Development of a “COVID-19 Feedback Portal” that allows all TPS members to contribute their comments and recommendations; Creation of a comprehensive communications strategy was developed for all members.
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This annual award is made possible by the generous support of the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
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