Justice Minister and Attorney General Shirley Bond has issued the following statement as the Vancouver Police Department's Evolution in Policing Conference marks 100 years of women in policing in Canada:

"This year marks a century since two women, Laurency Harris and Minnie Miller, became the first women police officers in Vancouver and in Canada.

"These pioneers made an incredible commitment to public service, working eight hours a day, seven days a week. On top of this, and out of their limited personal time, they were expected to attend court and participate in public parades.

"But they persevered, supporting not only public safety in Vancouver, but also the law enforcement aspirations of generations of Canadian women. Women now account for one in five police officers across Canada, up from about one in 20 a generation ago.

"And women officers continue to break new ground. In the last decade, the number of women in non-commissioned and senior roles has tripled. In 2006, Bev Busson became the first female commissioner of the RCMP and received the Order of British Columbia.

"The ranks of female officers continue to out-pace their male counterparts and here in B.C. we continue to have one of the highest proportions of female officers in Canada. This growth is critical to the future strength of our police forces.

"On behalf of our government, I want to thank all the women of law enforcement in British Columbia and encourage all who aspire to follow in their footsteps. I will continue to work with police leaders to promote a policing culture that supports your involvement and your success."

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6961