Inspector Debbie Miller: I was blessed to have had strong independent and resilient women in my life

When I was 18 years of age, I had someone tell me that I would be another Canadian Statistic because I was a young black woman, who lived in a single parent household. Fortunately for me, I was prepared for such moments. I was blessed to have had strong independent and resilient women in my life, such as my mom, who taught me to never let another person’s perception of me define who I am and what I could be. I also had three brothers that believed in me and encouraged me to be the best that I can be. In 1994 I joined a male-dominated profession. I became a police officer with the Ottawa Police service (OPS), where I have had the pleasure and honour of serving my community for the past 27 years. During my career I found the power of my voice. I became an advocate for change by using my platform to empower women. I, along with other amazing women, have dedicated my life and career to mentoring the next generation of game-changers. It is not good enough to have women sitting at the leadership table, they need to be seen, heard and listened to. We are committed to creating safe environments where all women and young girls can bring their authentic self to work. I firmly believe that when we support the growth and empowerment of women and girls, we raise the quality of life for everyone. It is our unique perspective that add to the narrative and brings us all closer to the solutions we need to make our community safer and better. By the way, I did become a statistic- I am the second highest ranking black female leader within the history of Ottawa Police.