Who Are We?

We are a group of concerned individuals who believe there is overwhelming evidence of a need for transformation in how police officers in Canada are educated and trained.   

We wish to advance the knowledge of Canadians about how police professional education could be remarkably improved and police could move towards professional status just like every occupation that serves others: teachers, lawyers, doctors and others.

Our History

Following a number of unfortunate events involving the police in Canada, three founding members each wrote op-eds to various papers.  David Cassels, now the President of C-CPR wrote about the need for policing to shift back to being peace-keepers and not peace-makers.  Peace-keepers are about the community; not about intervening with a heavy hand unless safety is at risk.  Togbi Nyaho Tamakloe wrote about the reality of People of Colour in North America and the long history of slavery followed by continuing racism that inhibits opportunity.  John Lilley wrote about the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as a model for police training.  

Considerable enthusiastic and meaningful conversations ensued!  The group of believers in change for policing grew to 20 or 30 of whom 15 were core in forming our non-profit society.

The first annual Conference on Canadian Police Reform in June 2022 was a resounding success.  Stay tuned for a possible CCPR24 conference in Vancouver.

In the fall of 2022, C-CPR was granted charitable status by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Devon Clunis

Member of the Board

Serving 29 years in The Winnipeg Police Service, retiring as Chief of Police in 2016.

After his retirement, Devon joined U.S. based Matrix Consulting Group where he worked until  In October 2020, Devon joined the Ontario Government in the role of Inspector General of Policing and help establish The Inspectorate of Policing, the first of its kind in Canada.

Devon was president of the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police and was awarded the Lieutenant Governor's Award for the Advancement of Inter-religious Understanding in 2017.

Devon has served on numerous boards and is a strong advocate for community focused groups. 

Devon co-authored two children's books, The Little Boy from Jamaica, and The Little Girl from Osoyoos, with his wife, Pearlene. Both books speak to addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion in a collaborative and constructive fashion.

Honourable Wally Oppal QC

Member of the Board

Wally is an experienced counsel and strategic advisor. His practice focuses on alternative and traditional dispute resolution as well as Indigenous law.

After graduation from the University of British Columbia Law School, Wally went into private practice for a number of years. During this time he was appointed as a Special Prosecutor on many high profile criminal and commercial cases.

In 2005, he was appointed as Attorney General of British Columbia and served as Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism until 2009. Wally was involved in many significant reforms of the justice system, including the establishment of Canada’s first community court to deal with chronic offenders, developing new Rules of Court in order to promote quicker resolution of disputes and developing new initiatives in dealing with violence against women.

A lifetime resident of British Columbia, Wally has dedicated his entire working life to the pursuit of social justice and community safety. His landmark report on policing in British Columbia led to many policing reforms after its publication in 1994. Wally’s service to the public of this province, most recently as Commissioner of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, is of special significance.

Honourable Vernon White PhD

Member of the Board

Senator (retired) Vernon White holds a Doctorate in Police Leadership from Charles Sturt University, a Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology from Acadia University, is a graduate from the National Executive Institute-FBI, has extensive education at managerial and investigational levels within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is a graduate of the RCMP Training Academy.

Senator White has worked with the RCMP, moving from Constable to Assistant Commissioner.  He has served in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and spent almost 19 years in the Arctic. He was Chief of Police for Durham as well as Ottawa.

He has held professorship roles at the Universities of Ontario Institute of Technology, Charles Sturt, Ottawa, Carleton, Simon Fraser and Royal Roads. He is a Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Mr. White has received a number of commendations over the years, including a Commissioners Commendation, a Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and a United Way Community Builder of the Year Award.

He was appointed to the Senate of Canada, representing the province of Ontario in February 2012. He a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) until he resigned from the Senate in October 2022.

The Honourable Vern White brings a wealth of policing experience and educational experience as well as wisdom to the board of C-CPR.

Honourable Janice Sherry

Member of the Board

Janice Sherry was elected to the Legislative Assembly of PEI in 28 May 2007. She was re-elected in 2011 and 2015. Janice has served as Government Whip and in various cabinet roles. In August 2016, Janice stepped down as a member saying “I want to go out when I’m feeling good about what I’ve done and my accomplishments and be sure not to miss any more family occasions.”

Sherry grew up in Parkside, PEI and graduated from Three Oaks Senior High. She completed her higher education at St. Mary's University. Sherry then worked in the fields of finance, real estate, and mental health as a day program worker for the Canadian Mental Health Association. 

Janice has community theatre experience and performed professionally in the musical production Gabriel and Evangeline. She also played a role in the 1998 television series Emily of New Moon. Sherry assisted in fundraising initiatives for the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Diabetes Association, the United Way, Notre Dame Place, Big Brothers Big Sisters and a Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation program. Sherry is an avid reader, writer and artist who enjoys gardening and entertaining family and friends.  She brings her political experience and knowledge of the Maritimes to the board of C-CPR.

Jibril Ibrahim PEng

Member of the Board

Jibril Ibrahim, PEng is a professional Engineer who has worked in various industries in Canada and the United States from automotive, air condition system, design of mobile cranes, and has been working in the oil and gas industries as a manager of Manufacturing facility for drilling tools.

He is currently operation’s and Welding manager of one of the oil industry companies from Alberta and finds fully satisfying to find a time to help Afro Canadians and others who are in need and mentor youth from Alberta.

Mr. Ibrahim is a leader who has been committed for the last 15 years to furthering the wellbeing and success of his Somali community in Edmonton, as well as the larger black community.

He has been involved in the community as:

• President of Somali Cultural Society of Edmonton
• Founder of the Gaashan Youth Leadership Academy, It is an academy that help youth develop life skills to become better citizen of Canada.
• Has served in the past as the Co-Chair of the African Liaison to the Edmonton Police (ACLC)
• An active voice and mobilizer of the black communities in Civic, Provincial as well as Federal Political engagements.
• A tireless advocate in matters of justice and equality for the black community and other minority groups in general is simply commendable
• Mr. Ibrahim has sat on a several boards & is an active member/volunteer for initiatives such as Out of School Time Program, Mentorship for African Youth.

In all of these capacities, Mr. Ibrahim continues to exemplify transformative leadership qualities and ability to envision possibilities and potential opportunities for black youths and communities, playing a foundational role in empowering young black youth in Edmonton.

Mubin Shaikh MPICT

Member of the Board

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada with extensive world travel experience. He comes from a family of service to public safety and himself was a former undercover human source for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET). Shaikh has worked multiple CLASSIFIED infiltration operations, online and on the ground and was extensively involved with the ISIS social media boom having infiltrated their networks online from 2012-2017 inclusive.

He is an external Subject Matter Expert for the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff’s, Strategic Multilayer Assessment Team and participated in supporting several anti-ISIS operations for the U.S. DOD including SOCCENT, the Global Coalition Against Daesh, & others. Shaikh has addressed institutions such as UN Security Council, U.S. Senate on Homeland Security, the (Canadian) Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, and other high-level organizations on various topics related to public safety.  

He has a Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (MPICT, Macquarie), and is a specialist and consultant to international institutions, as well as training police, intelligence and special operations forces on a range of topics. He is currently a Professor in the School of Public Safety at Seneca College, and a Counter Extremism Specialist for the renowned NGO, Parents for Peace. Shaikh is also featured in a permanent exhibit at the new International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. under, “Preventing Terror.”