2018 F. Darren Smith Award Winner

The recipient of the 2018 F. Darren Smith Award is Geneviève Tremblay, Director of National Learning Services with the RCMP. Joining Learning and Development in 2016, Geneviève faced many challenges including training resulting from the Moncton shooting of four RCMP officers and mostly recently the legalization of Cannabis and changes to impaired driving legislation.

“Geneviève stepped in with vision, energy and a positive attitude to rejuvenate her team and build the confidence of management and staff throughout the organization,” says Joanne Rigon, Acting Director General, Learning and Development, RCMP. “She advocates for technology enhanced learning wherever possible as an effective means to provide training to RCMP across the country with consistent outcomes.”

In addition to her regular daunting duties, in the past year, Geneviève led the collaboration with CACP and CPKN in the development of a national training initiative to respond to changing cannabis legislation. The project included collaboration on a national scale with input and subject matter expertise from police services and Federal Departments from across the country. This project was not without its challenges including tight timelines, and a moving target of legislation, but response to date from the Canadian Public Safety community has been positive and more than 35,000 officers are enrolled in the National course, Introduction to the Cannabis Legislation.

In addition to the training developed, she worked with CPKN in the development of a Canadian Cannabis Portal which will be updated and maintained with additional information and training resources as we move into legal Cannabis.

“Gen is a true champion of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) who has demonstrated leadership within her role with the RCMP, and has contributed nationally as member of CPKN’s National Advisory Committee and an outstanding speaker and facilitator at the annual Stanhope Conference. She provides leadership and has a positive impact on the Public Safety community through her many contributions,” says Sandy Sweet, President, CPKN.