York Regional Police is proud to announce members across the organization were recognized with awards from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).

The OACP, a not-for-profit which act as a channel for police leaders to share ideas and solutions to meet challenges facing police leadership in Ontario, presented the awards during a ceremony on Tuesday.

“I’d like to thank the OACP for recognizing members of YRP and our partner organizations for their vital work in keeping this province safe and secure,” York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said.

York Regional Police, along with the City of Vaughan, received the OACP Traffic Safety Excellence Award in recognition of Operation Silent Night.

Operation Silent Night was launched in an effort to quell dangerous and disruptive unauthorized car rallies in Vaughan. York Regional Police, in collaboration with the City of Vaughan, launched a multi-pronged approach which included surveillance, a media and crime prevention campaign, and the amendment of two City of Vaughan by-laws to address the issue of illegal car rallies.

As a result of the hard work of YRP members and the City of Vaughan, more than $80K in fines were issued, and a 66 per cent decrease in unauthorized car rallies and 39 per cent drop in street-racing related calls were recorded in the city.

“Unauthorized car rallies have no business in Vaughan. They are a nuisance to residents and businesses and pose a significant risk to community safety. I am grateful to the City of Vaughan staff who were instrumental in launching Operation Silent Night in Vaughan. This award is a testament to their dedication to serving our city,” Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca said. “I would like to thank York Regional Police for their continued collaboration and partnership and for prioritizing the safety and security of residents. Together, we will continue to take every action possible to stop these types of events from happening.”

To learn more about Operation Silent Night, visit yrp.ca/CarRallies.

York Regional Police is also proud to announce OACP Police Legal Advisors Committee Co-Chairs, General Counsel Jason Fraser and Peel Regional Police Legal Counsel Sharon Wilmot, received the 2025 OACP President’s Award of Merit. The award is the highest honour presented by the OACP.

Fraser and Wilmot have been recognized for their important work to ensure changes to laws governing policing in Ontario were reflective of the needs and priorities of police services across the province, as well as their members.

“On behalf of York Regional Police, I would like to extend my congratulations to all who were recognized by the OACP with these prestigious awards,” Chief MacSween said. “I am proud that our members continue to be leaders in policing in Ontario and I commend each award recipient on their commitment to public safety and community service.”

Crime prevention is our shared responsibility: Find up-to-date crime data in York Region on the Community Safety Data Portal, or become a partner in community safety by signing up for the Security Camera Registry today.

Prepared by: Hannah Jackson
                    June 24, 2025