Nancy
Banks is
currently
the
Supervisor
–
Communications
Training
and has
been
with
Peel
Regional
Police
since
1980.
At the
time she
applied
to Peel
Police,
she was
only
looking
for
clerical
work and
was
asked if
she
wanted
to be a
dispatcher.
Not
really
knowing
much
about
the
position,
but
looking
for a
new job,
she
readily
said
yes.
Who knew
that
this was
the
beginning
of an
adventure
which
still
provides
challenges
and
opportunities
almost
30 years
later?
Starting
as a
civilian
dispatcher
way back
then,
was
considerably
different
than it
is
today.
Nancy
was one
of a
handful
of
civilians
in
Communications,
the rest
being
police
officers,
cadets
and
sergeants.
Civilianization
was in
its
early
stages
in this
area of
the
Police
Service.
As a
platoon
trainer
for
several
years,
and
filling
in for
trainers
while
she was
part
time,
Nancy
gained
valuable
experience
through
her
interactions
with
many
different
trainees.
Becoming
the
Training
Coordinator
in 1993
was
another
beginning
for
Nancy.
Early on
in her
new
capacity,
a
colleague
recommended
that she
join
APCO;
the
Association
of
Public
Safety
Communications
Officials.
Through
that
association
and the
network
it
provided,
Nancy
found
opportunities
to gain
knowledge,
training
and
experiences
to
continue
with her
own
professional
development.
Nancy
completed
a number
of the
APCO
courses
and
began to
develop
relationships
with her
training
counterparts
around
the GTA
and the
country.
Through
this
network,
the
Communications
Learning
Network
was
founded.
Working
with the
trainers
from
Police
Services
across
Southern
Ontario,
the
Learning
Network
was able
to
assist
all of
its
members
in
delivering
the
ongoing
training
for
Communicators
mandated
by the
Policing
Standards.
In 2003
this
group
was
recognized
by the
Toronto
Police
Service
with an
Excellence
Award.
Through
her
involvement
in APCO
training,
Nancy
began to
also
focus on
APCO as
an
Association.
In 2004
she was
elected
to the
APCO
Canada
Board of
Directors
where
she was
the last
person
to move
through
all the
positions
on the
Board.
Nancy
became
President
for the
2006 /
2007
term.
During
her five
years on
the
Board,
Nancy
saw
through
the
completion
of the
changes
to the
Board
structure,
the
development
and
update
of a
strategic
plan,
the
creation
of
structured
committees
and was
actively
involved
in the
planning
and
delivery
of the
annual
conferences.
She
currently
chairs
the
Conference
Resource
Committee
and the
Telematics
Committee.
In
1996,
Nancy
had also
become a
member
of NENA;
the
National
Emergency
Number
Association.
In 2001
Nancy
became
an ENP
(Emergency
Number
Professional),
a
professional
designation
for
those in
the
9-1-1
field.
As one
of very
few
Canadian
ENPs,
and
because
of her
training
background
and
involvement
in
different
aspects
of
training,
Nancy
was
invited
to be
the
Canadian
representative
on the
NENA
Education
Advisory
Board in
2006.
Here
Nancy
found
herself
surrounded
by those
like her
who had
dedicated
themselves
to
training
and
providing
learning
opportunities
to
others
in the
industry.
As part
of that
role,
Nancy
also
began to
instruct
for
NENA, a
role
that
allows
her to
continue
to
develop
her
training
skills,
while
meeting
people
across
the
country
and
North
America.
Nancy
was
elected
to the
NENA
Executive
Board as
the
Canadian
Regional
Director
in June
2009.
In this
capacity
she
represents
the
needs of
the
Canadian
members
and
promotes
the NENA
mission.
Nancy is
also a
member
of the
CRTC
Emergency
Services
Working
Group
and has
become
very
involved
in the
deployment
of Phase
II
Wireless,
the
location
information
for cell
calls to
9-1-1.
She is
also a
member
of the
Ontario
9-1-1
Advisory
Board.
Involvements
such as
these
allow
Nancy to
not only
remain
current
in 9-1-1
issues
and
provide
up to
date
training
in Peel,
but be
part of
the
9-1-1
community
ensuring
that
9-1-1 is
available
and
works
when
it’s
needed.
This
continued
involvement
lead to
her
becoming
a member
of the
Advisory
Committee
for the
Seneca
College
School
of
Public
Safety
and
Police
Studies.
Nancy
was
honoured
to be
nominated
for the
OWLE
Civilian
Achievement
Award in
2007,
and
again
was
proud to
receive
her 25
Year
recognition
in 2008.
Being so
impressed
by the
recognition
provided
to
members
in
Ontario,
Nancy
became a
new
member
of OWLE
in 2009.
Nancy is
also
very
proud of
her son
Christopher,
who is
with the
Canadian
Military
Reserves
and has
served
in
Bosnia
and
Afghanistan,
and her
daughter
Amanda
who is a
Communicator
at Peel
Regional
Police.
