The new police chief of Smiths Falls, Ont., says when she first came to the community back in 1994, it had earned the nickname “Little Chicago” — and not for its deep-dish pizza.
“There was a lot of fighting,” Jodi Empey told CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning earlier this week.
“It wasn’t uncommon every weekend … having to deal with people fighting in the bars, throwing them in jail.”
Empey said if she told a younger version of herself that one day there’d be a cannabis business next to the police station, she would have laughed.
But by 2017, the old Hershey factory the town had become known for would be sold to Canopy Growth Corp., only to be sold back to the chocolate maker years later.
Now with a three-year tenure as chief ahead of her, Empey is reflecting on the changes she’s seen within the community, and the ones still to come.
Considered retiring
Although many would consider retirement after 30 years of service, Empey said she’s leaning in and hoping to keep the service moving in a positive direction.
“Not to say that I definitely didn’t think of retirement this year. I certainly did,” she said. “I wondered if it was worth going forward, especially [because] there’s a lot of changes coming in the police service and services across Ontario.
“It’s something I’m really interested in still, and I still love the job.”
But while some things change, others stay the same.
She said intimate partner violence “is still very much on the rise,” and believes it’s among the most frequent calls for service they receive, alongside mental health and drugs.
One of the projects Empey has overseen has been to update policies resulting from Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, an overhaul of policing law that has taken years to implement.
“That then, in turn, downloads onto our front line and to my staff sergeants, so I just wanted to see the end before I retire,” she said.
Empey has been deputy chief since 2022, and has been acting chief since January, before being officially sworn in Monday.
Hiring a new deputy will be one of the top priorities now that she’s officially started her job, Empey said.
She said her own ceremony was thrown together rather quickly to allow her to get straight to work after a long hiring process.
Message for young women
Her ceremony featured a banner honouring her father, an RCMP officer and UN peacekeeper who died in 2021.
Ottawa Morning8:27First woman appointed as Smiths Falls police chief
Jodi Empey is the first woman in Smiths Falls to hold the top job in the local police force. Chief Empey reflects on her journey and her goals in the new role.
“He was a major mentor in my life,” Empey said on Monday. “I certainly miss him and I definitely will miss him today.”
In a news release, the Smiths Falls said its new chief brings with her a unique understanding of the service’s history, community issues and the desired vision for its police services board.
The release also noted Empey has “demonstrated professionalism and leadership in all ranks.”
As the first woman in the job, Empey said her advice to young women and girls is to be their own biggest advocate.
“There’s always going to be people that are going to think that they’re better than you, that they can do the job, or that you’re not the person that they’re looking for,” she said.
“Just keep being determined. If there’s something that you want to do in life, don’t let anyone tell you differently.”