Nominate a Hero Behind the Badge Today!

Do you know a police officer or civilian personnel who deserves to be recognized for their excellent work in their community? Then nominate them for our “Heroes Beyond the Badge” program.

The OACP and OnStar Canada believe that our police officers, civilian personnel, special constables, and everyone who works in a police organization deserves to be acknowledged for going above and beyond in their work. We believe most Ontarians are eager to meet our police professionals, and we cannot and should not expect anyone else – including media – to “tell our stories.” So let’s work together – supported by OnStar Canada – to honour the many “Heroes Beyond the Badge” out there.

Below is information on the program. Check out our first winner, Staff Sergeant Kim Manuel of St. Thomas Police Service, here.

The Purpose of Heroes Beyond the Badge: 

• To recognize an individual or team in a police service whose contribution to policing excellence deserves to be known and appreciated.
• To recognize the things beyond “operational” duties that our police officers and personnel do to support their colleagues and their communities, including random acts that make the lives of our police professionals and members of the community better.
• To showcase policing excellence in a positive light.

Defining Excellence: 

• The individual/team has demonstrated the highest standard of professionalism, commitment, integrity, and accountability in their work/role. 
• The individual/team has gone above and beyond the expectations of their role. 
• The individual/team has positively and meaningfully impacted their colleagues, community and/or policing in Ontario via a program, innovative services, effective administration, or through volunteerism. 

How Heroes Beyond the Badge Works:

• Police personnel in an Ontario police service are invited to nominate an individual or team within their organization (or another police service). We’re not asking you to fill out any nomination form or meet specific criteria beyond the three “excellence” points noted above. Simply email Pat Kealey at pkealey@oacp.ca with the name of the individual/team you believe deserves to be recognized, providing a short description about them, their work/project, etc.
• Each month, the OACP and OnStar will choose an individual or team that will be recognized in a special location on the OnStar website, which the public will be able to access directly or through the OACP website.
• The individual or team will also be featured through the social media channels of the OACP and OnStar. The hashtag #BeSafeOutThere will be used on all social media postings. We encourage police services to promote the person who is being honoured through their social media channels and their local media.
• The individual or team will be recognized with a personalized certificate of achievement.

Once you have nominated an individual or team for consideration, the nomination will go into a “pool” of nominees for consideration every month. Once you have submitted a nomination (multiple nominations are welcome), you do not have to “re-nominate” the individual or team. Your service will be notified if your nomination(s) are chosen.