Deputy Director
Ontario Provincial Police
Rachel is an experienced, strategic leader who focuses on collaboration, innovation and efficiencies.
Rachel joined the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) as the Deputy Director-Executive Lead, Cannabis Legalization, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau in June 2018. She is responsible for developing and implementing policy and operational plans to support organizational requirements under the legal cannabis regime. Rachel looks at the efficiencies and effectiveness of police operations and recently lead a modernization of the OPP’s frontline support services with a focus on administrative processes, staffing, training, and interactions with communities.
Prior to joining the OPP, Rachel spent 16 years with the Canadian federal government leading and managing complex horizontal policy initiatives related to policing and public safety issues. With a focus on leveraging research and bringing together partners with diverging views, she developed and implement policies and legislative changes to support law enforcement, and community safety and security priorities. At Public Safety Canada, Rachel led the law enforcement component of the federal government policy priorities to legalize cannabis (Bill C-45) and improve road safety related to drug-impaired driving (Bill C-46). Rachel appeared as an expert witness at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST) in the House of Common and appeared before five Senate Committees reviewing the cannabis and drug-impaired driving bills. In addition to developing policies to support the implementation of the Bills and ongoing consultations with law enforcement across the country, Rachel implemented and led the oral fluid drug screening device pilot project to determine their usefulness for roadside enforcement of drug-impaired driving. This work, along with recommendations on training and operational use of the devices, guided the federal government decision to approve the first police roadside drug screening tool in Canada.
Rachel’s national-level accomplishments include leading and contributing to the: development of United Nations (UN) required precursor control regulations; establishment of national clandestine lab and marijuana grow operation teams under Canada's Drug Strategy; funding agreements to combat contraband tobacco and organized crime; federal government’s response to the opioids crisis; enforcement elements to enhance search powers of packages entering the country; and a national response to rail and urban transit security. Rachel was also instrumental in leading the national economics of policing initiative, which focused on community safety and wellbeing, and the development of effective and efficient policing approaches across the country. On the international stage, Rachel has supported and advanced Canadian drug policy at the Organization of American States Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) where she provided expert input to improve drug control policies across the Americas and the world.
Rachel is the co-chair Canadian Association Chiefs of Police, Drug Advisory Committee and the Chair of the Ontario Association Chief of Police, Substance Advisory Committee.
Rachel holds a Bachelor of Honours and a Master of Arts in Sociology, as well as an Executive Certificate in Negotiations and Conflict Management. Rachel is also a Contributing Editor with the Journal of Community Safety & Well-Being.
Cannabis Legalization: How Policy Challenges and Evolving Legislation Impact Police Employees
Sunday, October 20, 2024
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM ET