2019 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Constable Joseph Beaton is an out, open and proud trans man. He has ten years of policing experience with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 

Michelle served as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1986 - 1989. She was in the Military Police Branch of the Air Force. 

Despite an exemplary service record, Michelle was fired from the military in 1989 as part of the military’s “LGBT Purge”.

Gabrielle began her career as a police officer in 1999 when she joined New South Wales Police, working general duties on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. In 2002 she relocated 880 kilometres south into Victoria where she joined Victoria Police. 

Josh has been a court officer with the Toronto Police Service since 2009.  He spent the beginning of his career at College Park Courthouse where he gained valuable experience working with some of the cities most disadvantaged and marginalized people

Senior Constable Ben Bjarnesen joined the Queensland Police Service in 2007 and has served in Brisbane and outback Queensland, including the rural community of Roma where he spearheaded the development and implementation of the community support group, “Anything but Straight”. 

Corporal Elenore “El” Sturko joined the RCMP in 2009 following a family tradition going back to the 1950’s. The past decade for her has been an adventure in policing which wound its way from coast to coast to coast. That adventure eventually lead her to become the spokesperson for the RCMP’s largest detachment in Surrey, BC. 

Wayne Davis was born and raised in Drumheller, Alberta and joined the RCMP in 1967. He served eight years as a community police officer in Duncan and Sidney, British Columbia before transitioning into the Administration field. 

In May 2016, I was appointed as Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing and Criminal Justice.  I am responsible for all of the officers and staff who police our communities on a day-to-day basis, partnership working across the areas, all staff involved in criminal justice from custody through to the court procedure and all those involved in community engagement.  

Logan began his career in Corrections as an officer in 2011 where he worked in the Admissions/Discharge Department at the Winnipeg Remand Centre. Logan’s duties included; the classification and placement recommendations of inmates, police/court liaison, escort officer. 

Joe Couto is a veteran public policy and communications professional who brings 31 years of proven experience to meeting the government relations and communication needs of Ontario’s police leaders. 

Jean Turner began her career with the RCMP in 2002 as a Civilian Member working in the Operational Communications Centre (OCC). She quickly excelled; earning a Commanding Officer’s award for her innovation and outstanding effort in developing and implementing a database that is still being used by the “O” Division OCC today.

Deputy Chief Barbara McLean is a senior police leader with over 28 years of experience with the Toronto Police Service. She has extensive experience and a proven track record in policing, public safety, community engagement, policy development, strategic planning, fiscal accountability, and leadership development. 

Todd Brower is the Judicial Education Director for the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at UCLA School of Law. He is a professor of Constitutional Law at Western State College of Law in California, and is the Director of the Institute for Global Law and Policy there.  

Neil has had a diverse career with Victoria Police commencing as a Constable in 1988. He gained broad operational policing skills whilst at Collingwood and Northcote Police Stations and quickly identified that he enjoyed undertaking complex investigations.

Brendan Harkness is a Corporal with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  Brendan grew up in a family of first responders: his mom worked as a nurse and his dad was a Mountie. Seeing the ways they helped people in their community inspired Brendan to follow in their footsteps. Specifically, he dreamed of becoming a Mountie like his dad.  However, Brendan was uncertain if it was possible for a young, openly gay man to join the RCMP.

Tracy O’Hara is a Detective Constable with Merseyside Police. Merseyside service is in the North West of England and covers Liverpool and its surrounding boroughs. Tracy was born in 1971 in a place called Middlesbrough. 

Marja Lust joined the Amsterdam Police Department in October 2004 as a dispatcher. After graduating magna cum laude in 1995 from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota (USA) with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, she completed her Master’s degree in Business Administration only two years later. 

Officer Jim Ritter currently serves in the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) Community Outreach Section and was appointed the SPD's first full-time LGBTQ Liaison by Chief Kathleen O'Toole in 2014.  In this capacity, he is one of the only full-time LGBTQ liaisons in the United States and developed, implemented and oversees the SPD Safe Place Initiativ

Northern Ireland is a post conflict area, marked by its divided and highly conservative society. Paul Bloomer was raised by parents that came from opposite sides of the divide. They instilled in him a deep respect for diversity and raised him to appreciate both sides of the conflict, this gave Paul a strong desire for public service and social justice.

Police Officer Danielle Woods is currently assigned to the Chief’s Neighborhood Liaison Unit as LGBT Liaison for the Detroit Police Department. Officer Woods is a 17yr veteran having worked Patrol, Vice, Narcotics, Morality, and is a Field Training Officer. Officer Woods openly identifies as member of the LGBT community, and is an active and driving force in her role as Liaison as well as having a strong presence in representing for both entities.

I am a public servant with O Division of the RCMP. Since 2013 I have been the informal conflict manager working hard to build resilience among employees. Before that, I served in the Canadian Air Force for almost 3 decades, as an operational Air Navigator and then a mediator. 

Michael Crumrine is a Sergeant with the Austin Texas Police Department with over thirty-one years of law enforcement experience. He is currently a patrol supervisor and supervises officers initial investigation of major incidents such as sexual assaults, homicides, robberies, kidnappings, child abuse, intimate partner violence, officer involved shootings, public disobedience and natural and man-made disasters. 

Sandy is a front line (Response) Sergeant working for North Yorkshire Police in the north east area of the UK. It is a large rural county with great scenery, good local ales and lots of rain and sheep. It is also home to the historic and iconic City of York where she is currently posted.

Constable Tad Milmine, Police Officer with the Calgary Police Service and also the President and Founder of Bullying Ends Here.  Tad is an Ontario native, completing his K-12 education in Cambridge-area schools. 

I worked as a Correctional Officer in the early 80’s, I was outed the mid 80’s which was a very tumultuous time. I subsequently left Corrections and I began my career with the Toronto Police Service in 1993 as an “Out” LGBTQ member.

Haran Vijayanathan is an Educator /Trainer in the HIV and LGBT2SQ movement over the last 18 years. He prides himself on raising awareness and creating understanding through education and dialogue to ensure we have a more inclusive and supportive society.

Kristen Hilton grew up as one of five girls in country Victoria and moved to Melbourne to complete a Law/Arts degree at Melbourne University. Kristen worked in corporate law as an industrial relations lawyer before pursuing a career in social justice and human rights.

Inspector Hank Idsinga has been a member of the Toronto Police Service for 30 years, the last 14 of which have been spent as a homicide investigator.

Brett Parson has been serving the Metropolitan Police Department, in Washington D.C, (MPDC) for over 25 years and involved in Law Enforcement for over 35 years.  He is currently assigned to the Executive Office of the Chief of Police, where he oversees the department's Special Liaison Branch.

Mia started her career in 1988 with Peel Regional Police, before joining the RCMP in 2001. She has seen a lot of change in 31 years, from having a 'pretend boyfriend' to avoid people at work knowing she was gay, to being the first same-sex marriage in the RCMP, with her wife April. 

Constable Danielle Bottineau is an out and proud member of the Toronto Police Service. She has been serving Toronto for 19 years, spending the last 8 years as the LGBTQ Liaison Officer.