2025 Chief for a Day winner, Izzy Condon
A chance to lead, to be heard, and to imagine what policing could look like through fresh eyes is once again being offered to local students. The Peterborough Police Service is bringing back its Chief for a Day program, inviting Grade 5 students to step into the role of police chief, even if only for a day.
The annual initiative goes beyond a simple contest. It’s designed to connect young people with policing in a meaningful way, encouraging them to think about leadership, responsibility, and their role in the community. For Chief Stu Betts, it’s also an opportunity to listen. It gives him a chance to hear directly from the next generation about how they see their city and its future.
Open to students across Peterborough, Lakefield, and Cavan-Monaghan, the program asks participants to write a 300 to 500-word essay answering a simple but powerful question: what would you do if you were chief? From there, finalists are selected and invited to present their ideas, with one student ultimately earning the chance to take on the role in May.
For Chief Betts, the initiative is a fun way to interact with our future leaders and hopefully inspire some of them along the way.
He says the goal is to get students thinking beyond the classroom and imagining their role in the community.
Chief Betts says the program is about more than just a title, it’s also about breaking down barriers and building trust at a young age.
One of the most rewarding parts of the program for Chief Betts is seeing the effort and creativity students bring to their submissions. He says each year, the essays always leave a lasting impression.
Selecting a winner is no easy task, with judges often faced with tough decisions thanks to the quality of submissions and narrowing it down to one winner is always a challenge.
From there, the winning student will get to spend a day as police chief on May 19. And it’s not just them sitting in the Chief’s chair; the day features a rare look inside the many moving parts of modern policing and a hands-on introduction that few civilians get to experience at any age.
With the submission deadline set for March 25, Betts says he’s looking forward to seeing what ideas come forward this year without trying to predict them. The creativity and perspective of young people, he says, continues to surprise him.
As another group of students prepares to share their vision of policing, the Chief for a Day program remains a reminder that leadership can start early and that sometimes the best ideas come from those seeing the world with fresh eyes.
Essays are being accepted until March 25 and can be submitted by email to chiefofpoliceoffice@peterborough.ca, including the student’s full name, school name, city, and school board.
Last year’s Chief for a Day was Izzy Condon from Kaawaate East City Public School.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
