The OPP had its first class of female recruits back in 1974.
ONTARIO/OXFORD - The Ontario Provincial Police is celebrating 50 years of having women in uniform this International Women's Day.
The OPP was first established in 1909, but the first class of female recruits didn't come along until 1974. Randi Crawford, the Community Safety and Media Relations Officer for Oxford County, says it was a completely different world back then.
"There were 15 recruits and for the first short time women in policing were wearing skirts, with nylons, with high heels and to top it off, we carried our guns and our handcuffs in a purse."
She adds we've come a long way since then.
"Now we carry the exact same gear as our male peers, which is approximately 30 pounds of equipment on our vests and our duty belts."
Crawford says 41 percent of the Oxford OPP members today are also women.
Randi Crawford stopped by the Heart FM studio to chat with Dan and Marcie on Friday March 8th, where she also shared a poem she wrote about women in uniform. You can listen to the full interview below:
#oxfordopp would like to wish everyone a Happy International Woman's Day! #opp is celebrating 50 yrs of women in uniform this year & to celebrate, Oxford OPP would like to share a poem & video. The poem is dedicated to the women of the OPP; past, present, and future. ^rc pic.twitter.com/wM6OLru3SJ
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) March 8, 2024

3rd Annual Running with the Bulls Shines
Mischief in Tillsonburg is Under Investigation
Upgrades Completed for Woodstock Disc Golf Course
OPP Enforcement for Civic Holiday Weekend
Woodstock Candidate Profile - Anthony Scalisi
Drug Trafficking Investigation Leads to Charges
EZT Candidate Profile - Don Chowan
Oxford County Requesting Public Input
Norwich Man Charged in Brant County
SPWH Wants You to Know Drinking Risks
Charges Laid after Truck Hits Bridge
Ingersoll Candidate Profile - Mike Tucker
Motorcyclist Killed in Oxford Collision
Tip Tuesday with the Oxford OPP - July 2026
Oxford OPP Briefs - July 28th, 2026
Cat Thrown from Vehicle in Norfolk County
Environment Canada Issues Yellow Watch for Thunderstorms
Oxford Mosquito Traps Tests Positive for West Nile
Woodstock Candidate Profile - Sandeep Sidhu
Comments
Add a comment