DIANA HAMPSON

I am Diana, a recently retired police officer with 34 years of service in both the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police. Growing up in a police family, I joined the RCMP after earning a degree in Law with a focus on Criminology from Carleton University. I served four years in Montreal's RCMP Drug Section in the 1980s, one of the few women in that role, and during the Oka Crisis in 1990, I worked in Kahnawake and Akwesasne Mohawk Territories. It was here I realized the need for increased police understanding of Indigenous history, rights, and culture, and how smart, effective conflict resolution could help defuse volatile demonstrations.

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In 1992, I transferred to the Ontario Provincial Police, where I spent 18 years in front-line policing and specialized in Victim Support, Communications, Domestic Violence, and Community Policing. I became a Crisis Negotiator in 2012 and spent 10 years defusing dangerous situations involving individuals in crisis, earning a Commissioner’s Commendation for one of the longest negotiations in OPP history. Throughout my career, I developed strong communication skills, which led to my involvement in the Indigenous Policing Bureau’s Police Liaison Team. Over 13 years, I helped create a national program for building police-Indigenous relations, successfully negotiating and defusing demonstrations such as the Robertsville Uranium Mine protests, the Tyendinaga Mohawk rail blockades, and the 2022 Trucker Protest in Ottawa.

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I advised OPP command staff on negotiation strategies, cultural considerations, and worked closely with Indigenous policing partners to ensure effective communication and respectful engagement with Indigenous communities. This work was guided by integrity and respect, as I helped build lasting, positive relationships with Indigenous leaders and communities.