Barrie Police Service, Ontario
Val Gates is an Inspector with the Barrie Police Service in Barrie, Ontario, with 28 years of law enforcement experience dedicated to gender equity, trauma-informed policing, and systemic change. She has worked extensively in frontline policing, major crime investigations, community services, and executive leadership, leading initiatives that enhance police response to victims and improve organizational culture.
Val has extensive operational experience investigating intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and child exploitation in the Crimes Against Persons Unit, where she later became a supervisor. She played a key role in establishing the Barrie Child Advocacy Center and developing Project Safe Horizon, a human trafficking response protocol. She has also led community safety initiatives and contributed to strategic planning and policy development at an organizational level.
She is currently spearheading 30Forward, Canada’s adaptation of the 30×30 initiative, which aims to recruit, retain, and advance women in policing through systemic change, mentorship, and accountability. She also co-authored both the CACP Framework for Trauma-Informed Policing and the Canadian Framework for Collaborative Police Response on Sexual Violence, providing national guidance on improving police responses to victims of crime, survivors of violence, and vulnerable populations.
Beyond policing, Val serves as Chair of the Child Advocacy Center of Simcoe Muskoka and Vice Chair of the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie, reinforcing her commitment to supporting survivors of violence. Her contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.
Through policy development, training, and advocacy, Val remains committed to ensuring policing is more inclusive, trauma-informed, and community-focused, creating lasting change for both officers and the communities they serve.
