Ensuring the safety of our children on our roads is an important role shared by traffic safety advocates, police partners and community leaders. Each year for the past 17 years, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) has recognized one police service which stands out for its valuable contributions to the CAA School Safety Patrol program.  This year, CAA SCO is proud to recognize the Toronto Police Service.

The annual CAA’s School Safety Patrol Program Achievement Award is given to a police service which lends exceptional support to the CAA School Safety Patrol (SSP) program. Police Chief William Blair and Constable Jill Miller were honoured with the prestigious award at Toronto Police Headquarters.

The School Safety Patrol Program was first developed in Canada in 1929. During this time, the automobile was quickly rising in popularity and children aged 4 to 14 were being struck by vehicles at an alarmingly high rate. The program’s aim was to protect and educate these young children from becoming injured or killed in traffic collisions by teaching them safe-street crossing practices and bus safety.

“The safety of our young people is one of our highest priorities. I’m pleased that the great work of Constable Jill Miller is being recognized today and I want to thank CAA South Central Ontario for their vital support over the years,” said Chief Blair.

Constable Jill Miller has served with Toronto Police for 27 years. For the last 10 years, Constable Miller has managed the CAA School Safety Patrol program. In those 10 years, her guidance and leadership has led to over 23,000 foot and bus patrollers being trained by Toronto Police Community Liaison officers.

This past year alone, Constable Miller helped recruit 16 new schools to the program and increased the bus patrol program participation from 203 patrollers last year to 477 patrollers this year. Over 90 elementary schools in Toronto currently partner with CAA SCO and Toronto Police Service to run the SSP program. Meanwhile, over 800 schools in Ontario participate in the School Safety Patrol program and CAA SCO partners with over 55 police services to deliver the program.

“Constable Jill Miller is a dedicated police officer with a passion for mentoring young people in the community. Miller is a true leader, an exceptional role model and her unselfish work demonstrates her strong commitment to the safety of school children,” said Leslie Rocha, Community Relations Specialist, CAA SCO.

Constable Miller has been integral in growing the CAA School Safety Patrol program in Toronto. She sits on the program’s working group and has been involved in the development of the new curriculum and training video.

CAA would again like to thank Constable Miller, Chief Blair and the Toronto Police Service for their commitment to the School Safety Patrol Program and to all of Toronto’s safety patrollers.