Supt. Shirley Cuillierrier named Aboriginal police officer of the year

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OTTAWA – October 26, 2007 – Supt Shirley Cuillierrier of National Aboriginal Policing Services has been named “Indian Country Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” for 2007 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), marking the first time a Canadian or a member of the RCMP has won this award.

Supt. Cuillierrier, an Aboriginal employee with 25 years of distinguished service, is being recognized for her role as Project Leader in the preparation and implementation of the coordinated police response to the National Day of Action by Aboriginal groups on June 29, 2007.

The relationships that she and her RCMP colleagues forged with Aboriginal organizations and individuals were a critical component to the peaceful outcome of an event which had the potential to disrupt Canadian rail-based commerce and threaten the safety of the public and the police.

Through its unique position as Canada’s national police agency, the RCMP, under Supt Cuillierrier’s leadership, reached out to numerous internal and external partners and facilitated an approach that remained consistent across the country.

“Recognition from the International Association of Chiefs of Police is a real honour for the RCMP,” says Commissioner William Elliott. “To see one of our own singled out in this way highlights the impact that one individual can make on the safety and security of our communities. We are very proud of Supt Cuillierrier.”

Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations and representatives of the Ontario Provincial Police and the Sûreté du Québec voiced their appreciation of Supt. Cuillierrier’s leadership in the days immediately following June 29. A strong partnership developed between the RCMP, these two agencies and Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways in the weeks and months leading up to the National Day of Action, carefully nurtured by Supt Cuillierrier and her commitment to a team approach.

The support and goodwill of Aboriginal people dates from the earliest years of RCMP, whose initial focus in 1873 was the protection of communities in the west, including Aboriginal communities, from marauders to the south. Without this support, the ability, historically, to provide effective policing services to some areas of Canada would not have been possible.

The RCMP has over 1,000 Aboriginal employees, who are working at all levels of the organization.

Service to Aboriginal communities is one of the RCMP’s strategic priorities.

The IACP has also conferred the Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement upon the RCMP’s “C” Division for Projet Chabanel, an initiative targeting organized crime.

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RCMP Media Relations
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