Media Release: OPP Provincial Constable Andrea Degagne Receives 2022 OACP Award of Excellence

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) is pleased to award the OACP 2022 Award of Excellence in Community Safety, Wellness, and Crime Prevention to Provincial Constable (PC) Andrea Degagne with the Ontario Provincial Police.

This award is presented in recognition of the accomplishments of an officer and their community partners working together to improve community safety and well-being.

As the Community Services Officer in the Sioux Lookout Detachment, PC Degagne advocates tirelessly and courageously for some of the most vulnerable community members to get equitable and appropriate treatment and has had a significant positive impact on her community.

PC Degagne pays close attention to who the most at-risk people are in Sioux Lookout and brings their unique state of affairs before the Sioux Lookout Situation Table. Additionally, she has spearheaded the Crisis Response Nurse program in Sioux Lookout and sat on the Vulnerable Population COVID-19 planning Committee and the Cold Weather Committee, which worked to provide homeless persons with shelter during the winter months of 2019/2020.

In 2019 PC Degagne re-introduced and expanded the OPP KIDS program to Sioux Lookout schools, coordinated bicycle safety training for local students, headed up the annual 'Positive Ticketing" program, and conducted 'Paint a Cruiser' events for Rotary Club's annual Canada Day Ceremonies in the park and Firefly kids' camps.

Over the past two years, she has been a dedicated volunteer at the Sioux Lookout Gay-Straight Alliance. PC Degange assisted in coordinating events that are open to all community members and promote diversity and tolerance within the broader community, including the GSA youth group's first annual Color Run, Pride Parade and Picnic, Outdoor Teen Movie Night, as well as Halloween Boo at the Bay Haunted Trail.

PC Degagne was also instrumental in creating the Crisis Response Unit pilot project in Sioux Lookout. PC Degagne continued to monitor the program to ensure its success. With only a single year of funding, PC Degagne promoted the pilot project undertaken in Sioux Lookout and was able to secure healthcare funding to continue the project.

PC Degagne has demonstrated time and again that she is committed to and is committed to making Sioux Lookout an inclusive and safe place for all community members to live.

This annual award is made possible by the generous support from Accident Support Services International Ltd.