Deputy Chief Shawna Coxon (she/her)

Deputy Shawna Coxon is in charge of the Priority Response Command, which includes all front-line policing and general investigation functions at Toronto’s 16 police divisions, the Service’s Operations Centre, 911 Communications and Court Services. She was a proud member of the Transformational Task Force where she helped to design the current modernization of the Service.

Shawna’s diverse policing career has included working in child abuse, sex crimes, professional standards, community response, vice, and intelligence. She is known for having implemented Service’s inaugural Computer Cyber Crime (C3) Section. This was one of many cyber-outcomes from her work as the Team Leader of Operation Reboot, which looked at open source investigative techniques, training, procurement, and cyber-related threats and opportunities. She later oversaw both cyber and technological crime, as well as national security threats to the city. Her career trajectory shows her ongoing interest in futurism and policing.

In her spare time, she obtained her MA in Criminology and her PhD in Criminal Law and is a published academic who has lectured internationally. She has also used her own time to volunteer around the world on grass-root projects to promote education and human rights. Of all the things she has done in her life, Shawna remains most proud of the letters of appreciation from people she has worked diligently for, especially those from children.