Sergeant Isobel Anderson, Ottawa Police Service

THE LEADERSHIP AWARD IS DEDICATED TO SGT. MARGARET EVE OF THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE. MARGARET EVE WAS KILLED JUNE 7TH, 2000. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN O.P.P. OFFICER TO LOSE HER LIFE WHILE ON DUTY. MARGARET WAS AN INCREDIBLE PERSON AND A TRUE LEADER. SHE LIVED BY TWO MOTTOES, THE FIRST BEING "LEAD BY EXAMPLE" - AND SHE DID. THE SECOND WAS "DO IT RIGHT OR NOT AT ALL" - AND WHEN SHE DID SOMETHING IT WAS DONE RIGHT. SHE WAS A NATURAL LEADER WHO SERVED THE CITIZENS OF ONTARIO WITH DIGNITY AND HONOUR AND WAS PROUD TO WEAR THE O.P.P. UNIFORM. THE LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER IS ANOTHER OFFICER WHO DOES NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF BACKING DOWN OR GIVING UP. IN 1997 WHILE SEARCHING A ROBBERY SUSPECT THIS

L to R: Deputy Chief Sue O'Sullivan, Ottawa Police Service, Sergeant Isobel Anderson, Ottawa Police Service, Tony Lamothe, Ontario Provincial Police Association

OTTAWA OFFICER RECEIVED A PUNCTURE WOUND FROM A DIRTY NEEDLE. NOT KNOWING WHAT DISEASE THE SUSPECT MAY BE INFECTED WITH SHE REQUESTED A BLOOD SAMPLE FOR TESTING PURPOSES, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT ONE COULD NOT BE TAKEN WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE SUSPECT. NOT KNOWING WHAT SHE COULD BE INFECTED WITH THE OFFICER WAS GIVEN A COURSE OF POTENT MEDICATION THAT HAD TERRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS. THIS INCIDENT SPARKED A SERIES OF DETERMINED EFFORTS BY THE OFFICER TO EFFECT CHANGE. OVER SEVERAL YEARS SHE CONTACTED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND VARIOUS FEDERAL MINISTERS AS WELL AS BRINGING THE ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF COMMUNITY AND POLICE ORGANIZATIONS. SHE APPEARED BEFORE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES AND DID NUMEROUS MEDIA INTERVIEWS. ALL THIS AT TREMENDOUS PERSONAL SACRIFICE TO HER AND HER FAMILY. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HER PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT Bill 105 WAS PASSED INTO LAW IN THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE IN DECEMBER 2001 MAKING IT MANDATORY FOR RECORDS OF INFECTED PERSONS TO BE RELEASED IF THEY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY OR INTENTIONALLY INFECTED ANOTHER PERSON. THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION MADE IT THROUGH FIRST AND SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS BUT DIED AT THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE LEVEL. HOWEVER IN 2002 IT WAS ONCE AGAIN REFERRED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S FEDERAL/PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION. THIS OFFICER SET OUT TO RIGHT A WRONG. WHEN PEOPLE SAID THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD BE AN INVASION OF PRIVACY, SHE ARGUED THAT VICTIM'S RIGHTS WERE JUST AS IMPORTANT. SHE FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND GOOD SAMARITANS. FOR HER DETERMINATION AND INSPIRATION TO OTHERS SERGEANT ISOBEL ANDERSON OF THE OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE IS PRESENTED WITH THE MARGARET EVE AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP.