CELEBRATING LEADERS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF POLICING IN CANADA
30Forward Challenge Coin
The 30Forward Challenge Coin is a rare symbol of leadership, accountability, and measurable commitment to advancing gender equity in policing. Only 100 coins exist worldwide. Each coin is intentionally limited and awarded to individuals whose actions, not titles, have contributed to meaningful progress aligned with the 30Forward mission.
Rooted in policing tradition, challenge coins represent shared values and earned recognition. The 30Forward coin carries that legacy forward, recognizing those who are helping to reshape policing culture through mentorship, leadership, research, advocacy, and sustained action.
The coin is not for sale and cannot be requested. It is earned through impact.
Receiving a 30Forward Challenge Coin signifies:
Demonstrated leadership in advancing equity and inclusion
Tangible contributions aligned with 30Forward’s goals
A commitment to lasting culture change across Canadian policing
Lenna Bradburn
In 1994, Lenna Bradburn made history as Canada’s first female police chief, leading the Guelph Police Service and opening the door for generations to follow.
Her appointment wasn’t just symbolic. It was a meaningful step forward.
At a time when women were still working to be fully recognized in the ranks of policing, Chief Bradburn stepped into one of the profession’s most visible leadership roles with conviction, courage, and vision. She showed that leadership isn’t defined by gender; but by integrity, competence, and a commitment to serve.
We honour her legacy not just for being first, but for showing what’s possible. Every officer who believes in merit, every young person who sees policing as a path for them, can find inspiration in Lenna Bradburn’s bold step forward.
As we continue the work of 30Forward, supporting a policing culture that reflects the communities we serve, we look back with gratitude and move forward with purpose.
Gwen Boniface
A Trailblazer in Canadian Policing
Gwen Boniface, began her policing career with the Ontario Provincial Police in 1977 and made history in 1998 as the first female Commissioner, serving until 2006. Her groundbreaking leadership significantly advanced equity, inclusion, and community-oriented policing in Canada.
Following her tenure with the OPP, Gwen continued her distinguished career internationally, notably as Deputy Chief Inspector of Ireland’s Garda Inspectorate and as a policing expert with the United Nations Police Division. In 2016, she was appointed to the Senate of Canada, further demonstrating her lifelong commitment to public service. Gwen Boniface’s legacy continues to inspire women in law enforcement, showing how progressive leadership can transform institutions and communities.
Annie May Jackson
In 1912, Annie May Jackson became Canada’s first female police officer, breaking barriers and setting the stage for generations of women in policing. She served with the Edmonton Police Department until 1918, at a time when few believed women belonged in uniform.
Specialized Units
Specialized units like tactical and canine have long been seen as elite, demanding advanced skill, physical readiness, and confidence under pressure. But for women, stepping into these roles has required something more: the resolve to challenge long-standing systemic barriers.
In 1991, Giselle Cole became Canada’s first female tactical officer with Toronto Police. Wendy Carragher was one of the first female canine officers in the country. Their breakthroughs weren’t just personal, they were groundbreaking for generations to come.
Why so few women in these units?
A 2018 report from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics points to structural issues: exclusion from informal networks, biased selection practices, and lack of access to mentorship. Police Practice and Research (Cordner & Cordner, 2011) found that women are often deemed “not the right fit” based on assumptions—not ability. And a Gender-Based Analysis by Status of Women Canada shows women are less likely to be encouraged or sponsored into elite units.
These officers didn’t just join, they redefined the possible.
Through 30Forward, we honour pioneers like Cole and Carragher and we keep working to ensure that no woman is told “that role isn’t for you.”
Because barriers were meant to be broken.
Rose Fortune.
Long before badges and titles, there was Rose Fortune.
Born in 1774, Rose Fortune was a Black Loyalist who settled in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. At a time when neither women nor Black citizens held formal authority, she carved out a role no one had imagined, enforcing curfews, ensuring safety at the docks, and protecting vulnerable travellers.
She was, in every way that mattered, a guardian of her community. She created structure, maintained order, and provided a sense of safety, particularly for women and children. And she did it without a badge, a uniform, or official recognition.
Rose Fortune is widely considered Canada’s first female law enforcer, yet she was not sworn into a police service, and her contributions were not formally acknowledged by the institutions that later came to define law enforcement in Canada.
Instead, her legacy lived on in the stories passed down, the community she served, and the quiet revolution she led simply by showing up, every day, as a woman, as a leader, and as a protector.
At 30Forward, we honour Rose Fortune not just for what she did, but for what she represents:
The courage to lead without permission. The strength to serve without status, and the impact of a woman who enforced the law before the law would even recognize her. Her story is a powerful reminder that some of the most important contributions in policing have never worn a badge.
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