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Waterloo Regional Police Service Detective Constable Adam Stover Awarded the 2024 OACP Excellence in Leadership Award
For Immediate Release: June 11, 2024
(London, ON) – Detective Constable Adam Stover of the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) has been honoured with the 2024 Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police’s (OACP) Excellence in Leadership Award for his tremendous contributions to law enforcement, outstanding service to Waterloo Region, and exemplary leadership as a police leader. This is the second year that a member of the Waterloo Regional Police Service received the OACP Excellence in Leadership Award.
In early 2022, D/Cst. Stover identified a complex fraud scheme targeting elderly and vulnerable victims in Waterloo Region. It involved the placement of a Notice of Security Interest (NOSI), a type of lien, onto the victim’s home without their knowledge. NOSIs and additional predatory mortgages were causing many victims to lose their homes and life savings in Ontario. D/Cst. Stover undertook an in-depth criminal investigation into those perpetrating these crimes and showed police services across Ontario the scope of the criminal enterprise. He quickly became the provincial expert regarding these NOSIs, providing guidance to numerous police services including the OPP, London, and Niagara Regional Police.
His participation in the OPP’s Serious Fraud Office helped lead to the dismantling of the largest criminal organization committing these frauds. This is in addition to arrests made within the Waterloo Region and beyond. D/Cst. Stover recognized that the use of NOSIs had no legitimate value and almost no oversight, which had led to rampant abuse by criminal groups.
Recognizing that only a legislative change would effectively stop the victimization of the vulnerable, D/Cst. Stover undertook an extensive provincial advocacy campaign that resulted in meaningful policy changes. He embarked on a mission to save thousands of vulnerable Ontarians from approximately $1 billion dollars of potential fraud losses.
D/Cst. Stover tirelessly advocated for legislative change – directly to the Government of Ontario – to remove the ability to register a NOSI. Over the course of a year, D/Cst. Stover met with elected officials, including , the Attorney General, the Solicitor General, and the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. D/Cst. Stover also conducted multiple media interviews to help bring public attention to this issue.
This tireless campaign resulted in a landmark piece of legislation being introduced on May 27, 2024, which included a full ban of the use of NOSIs and retroactively remove existing NOSIs on titles by the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. The Homeowner Protection Act, 2024, bans the registration of Notices of Security Interest (NOSIs) for consumer goods on the Land Registry and deem NOSIs for consumer goods currently registered on title to be expired. The legislation was passed with all-party support on June 5, 2024 and has now come into effect.
D/Cst. Stover’s commitment to protecting the vulnerable in Ontario and advocating for change is an incredible showcase of leadership and integrity by a member of the policing community.
This annual award is made possible by the generous support of
The Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. José Luís (Joe) Couto
Director of Government Relations & Communications
T. (416) 926-0424 ext. 22
C. (416) 919-9798
E. media@oacp.ca
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