CSU honoured as 12 Officers awarded the Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal
The award recognizes officers with 20 years of exemplary service, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency.
Community Safety Unit Special Constables receiving their Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medals.
On November 1, 2023, the Community Safety Unit (CSU) hosted the Inaugural Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal Ceremony. The event recognized the long and exemplary service of CSU Special Constables who performed 20 years of service as a Peace Officer in Canada.
“I was honoured and privileged to have been chosen to be a part of this historic endeavour,” said Special Constable Larry Shand, President of OPSEU Local 529. He was one of the honourees and began his career with Metro Toronto Housing Authority in 1995 (now Toronto Community Housing).
“I was able to participate in the growth and development of the CSU program over the years and the medals awarded from the Governor General’s Office recognize the exemplary service of our officers, who have met the criteria of protecting the public for 20 years as a Peace Officer,” said Shand.
Larry Shand, Special Constable & President OPSEU Local 529, with Allan Britton, CSU Chief Special Constable.
To qualify for the award, officers need 10 of their 20 years to be spent performing duties on the front line, onsite or in field involving potential risk. “The medal is not a recognition of long service, but of exemplary service,” said Shand. “To receive it, there can be no serious discipline or misconduct on file during the tenure of an officer’s service. Recipients must have served in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency.”
In attendance for the ceremony were TCHC’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Tom Hunter, Deputy Chief of Police for the Toronto Police Service, Robert Johnson, and CSU Chief Special Constable, Allan Britton.
From left to right: Allan Britton, CSU Chief Special Constable, Tom Hunter, Interim President and CEO of TCHC, Larry Shand, Special Constable & President OPSEU Local 529, and Robert Johnson, Deputy Chief of Police for the Toronto Police.
“I’m thankful to be recognized with this honour as I was one of the pioneers of this program,” said Shand. “It was not an easy journey, and we depended on Toronto Police in our formative years for guidance and support – which we received in abundance.”
Trust has also been a key component of CSU’s success, adds Shand. “Our Board of Directors and Executive Leadership team support us and trust our officers to rise to the expectations of competency and professionalism that were placed upon us. Our tenants trust us to protect them and the communities in which they live.”
CSU Special Constables use their appointed powers and authorities responsibly and respectfully to balance law enforcement with engagement, said Shand. “We always have to remember that what is the place of work for our Special Constables, is also the homes of our TCHC tenants. We have never forgotten that as we perform our duties.”
Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal recipients in 2023:
- Staff Sergeant Jay Davidson
- Sergeant Winston Kenley
- Sergeant Kevin Pender
- Sergeant Gurmeet Singh
- Special Constable Fazil Bacchus (Retired)
- Special Constable Brad Harper
- Special Constable Michael Lepage (Retired)
- Special Constable William Neal (Retired)
- Special Constable Michael Roy (Retired)
- Special Constable Ronald Sampson
- Special Constable & President OPSEU Local 529 Larry Shand
- Special Constable Rick Zhivko (Retired)
