Discovering Your Means Dwelling

As a baby, Toronto-born Keda Edwards Pierre wished to do one thing many clever, creative youngsters dream of doing; create buildings.

“In elementary faculty, I wished to be an architect. I used to be acknowledged to be very inventive. My grandfather was an architect,” says Edwards Pierre. “Plus, strains and construction actually attracted me.”

Nevertheless, the universe had different plans. As an alternative, Edwards Pierre a childhood trauma survivor, navigated a profession path that met her profound wants for security, construction, solutions, voice and talent to advocate for others.  That path would take her from pupil to frontline police officer, to neighborhood liaison officer and, lastly, to entrepreneur –a journey which, for her, is finally “true to soul”.

“Dangerous issues occurred in my life. The affect confirmed up in various methods.

In Grade 10, my usually good grades all of the sudden began to plummet– I noticed my goals of structure (faculty) go down the tubes,” Edwards Pierre explains. “I typically discovered escape by means of arts. Throughout this time, I more and more turned my consideration to theatre and drama and ended up getting a lead half within the faculty play.

Edwards Pierre says she was enthusiastic about new rising theatrical success–till enjoying the lead half meant having to kiss a boy on stage– an concept that made her so unwell and uneasy that she gave up theatre for a time. Panning round for a brand new path–one that will permit her to really feel extra empowered – Edwards Pierre turned her consideration to legislation, a profession which matched her ardour for “advocacy, serving to folks and argumentative nature”.

“I developed a eager curiosity within the justice system. It led me to take a paralegal course in faculty after highschool,” says Edwards Pierre. “Then in the future, my class visited a courthouse to look at courtroom proceedings, after which two classmates and I met two off-duty courtroom officers. We later frolicked. Considered one of them suggested that police have been hiring and steered that I be a part of as a greater path to legislation faculty than the paralegal path.

“I did some analysis and realized he was proper.”

Bought on the thought, Edwards Pierre utilized for a job with Toronto police, a a lot greater feat than such a brief sentence implies. This was the 1990’s   a time when solely 6% of Toronto Police have been girls, not to mention girls of color like Edwards Pierre, and though some issues have modified since then, even right now policing in Canada continues to be overwhelmingly white male dominated.

“I had by no means seen a Black lady in uniform,” says Edwards Pierre. “Plus I used to be thought-about quick, simply 5 foot 5 (inches), however I utilized and was accepted. There have been roughly 150 Toronto recruits and roughly 20 have been girls. I used to be the one Black lady.”

Over the subsequent 27 years, Edwards Pierre would go on to carry a wide range of roles with the Toronto Police Service (TPS), together with courtroom officer, parking enforcement, and ultimately, a first-class police officer throughout the town, together with 42 Division which serves Scarborough, a suburb on the sting of Toronto the place 73% of the inhabitants are non-white and nearly all of residents are newcomers.

Edwards Pierre at one level, went on maternity go away.

Across the similar time, “After a virtually 10 years with TPS, I remembered my earlier legislation aspirations. I utilized to the Weldon Legislation Faculty at Dalhousie (College)–and acquired in!” says Edwards Pierre. “So, at 28, whereas on maternity go away, I packed up my nonetheless breast-feeding child and went to Halifax to get my legislation diploma.”

Turned out that being a single mom, alone in a metropolis with no household, little cash for meals and with a child who had well being points, and pursuing my legislation diploma was an excessive amount of. After one yr, I packed up, returned to Toronto and my child’s medical specialists. I accomplished first-year legislation remotely and returned from go away to police work.”

Views on Police Work

As a baby, Edwards Pierre says her interactions with police whereas rising up weren’t detrimental.

As soon as on the within, nevertheless, Edwards Pierre noticed issues that deeply troubled her.

“I witnessed how trauma impacts human potential and might destroy lives,” she says. “I noticed the institutional flaws and systemic challenges that stop police from coping with points in useful methods. ‘Dangerous cops’ stay protected and fly below the radar and ‘good cops’ get gutted, chewed up and spat out.”

“Whereas on the job, varied misogynistic and racist officers within the ranks, administration and command stored me in hyper-vigilance mode for a lot of my profession – so I used to be in fixed struggle or flight positioning. Generally I gained the battles I fought – and typically I misplaced miserably.”

Edwards Pierre provides “The system is much, removed from good–nevertheless, there are good issues taking place between the cracks. Whereas working in 42 division, I noticed myself as a part of the neighborhood. I had an incredible accomplice who beloved his job.” Edwards Pierre noticed how deeply linked, community-supported policing and robust neighborhood ties resulted in optimistic outcomes.

Regardless of the rising societal issues round racism and police violence, Edwards Pierre held on to the concept the establishment may change for the higher and went on to turn into a Company Liaison Officer for 3 years with a concentrate on enhancing Black community-police relations. “I coordinated the primary month-long Black Historical past Month celebration whereas in that function. I consulted with and introduced neighborhood organizations and establishments collectively from everywhere in the metropolis for the primary time. I additionally coordinated the United Moms Opposing Violence In all places (U.M.O.V.E), a nonprofit which advocated for stronger gun management after the 2005 “Summer time of the Gun”.

Edwards Pierre was additionally a founding member of the TPS Black Inside Assist Community.

“I imagine I had a optimistic affect, however over time, I noticed there was solely a lot I may do.”

Edwards Pierre retired in 2020.

“My expertise in policing, good, unhealthy and even the ugly. was a part of my path. It opened my eyes and confirmed me what I wanted to see,” she says. “It ready me for what I imagine is the work I’m now referred to as to do.