IODE Ontario Police Community Relations Award

Living in Ontario, one cannot but notice the black and white vehicles with the familiar OPP logo. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is present in more than 375 municipalities whether patrolling any of the more that 128,000 roads or on lakes in cottage country. In the course of their duties, officers speak to students and community members on safety, security, drug prevention, homelessness and many other subjects. When we think of the women and men of our Provincial Police Service, we think of those we see in uniforms on a daily basis, but the Constables and Officers are much more than law enforcers.

Provincial Constable Elana Durtnall joined the Ontario Provincial Police in August 2017 and began her career working general law enforcement duties at the Orillia Detachment.  She transferred to the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment in November 2020, and she has been working in the Community Safety Officer/School Officer position since October 2021.  Elana communicates effectively to build trust and confidence in policing with community partners and key stakeholders.  She has successfully immersed herself in the community where she works and resides, both on and off duty, by promoting and improving programming with local schools, groups and committees. This has been especially important in breaking down barriers and building trust with local youth.  She creates opportunities for them to build healthier and more resilient lifestyles by focusing on social inclusion.

Elana is a self-reliant and task-oriented woman.  Her passion for helping others extends well beyond her regular working hours by volunteering on her own time while simultaneously raising a young family.  Elana is described by her immediate supervisor as “one of the most thoughtful officers I have ever worked with.  She cares about the people in our community and will always put 110% into anything that she is working on.” 

In 2017, Elana was recognized by the Midland Rotary Club as one of the founding members of a local Rotaract Club, which focuses on bringing people aged eighteen and older together, to share ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and to have fun through service.  Elana has organized many community initiatives including: 

• Food drives for community members experiencing food insecurities: Rotary Hamper Night, Trick-Or-Eat, and the Georgian Bay Food Network-Garden Overflow Project
• March Mudness Event: raised almost $100,000 for school programs, a new CT scanner at the local hospital and youth mental health initiatives.
• Georgian Bay District Secondary School Equity Club: volunteer mentor/LGBT youth role model
• Mental Health in Motion: fundraised for 12 to 25-year-olds struggling with mental health issues
• Fostered a teenager for six-months
• BIPOC book donations for Midland and Penetanguishene Public Libraries
• Bridget Bunnies: raised over $1,600 for comfort kits to support families with pregnancy/infant loss
  
• Guest Speaker/Support: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Outreach (PILO) of North Simcoe/Muskoka
  
• Established “Nora’s Nook” in two locations, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, and an elementary school.  The nooks contain donated books in memory of Elana and her spouse’s one-month old daughter Nora.

​Elana has demonstrated significant volunteerism by supporting and embracing everyone, especially local youth, to reach their fullest potential and by advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion, regardless of the challenges they are facing.