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Faculty Profile for Brian Cowie

Brian Cowie

Police Foundations

• Professor
• 2nd Year Coordinator

I am from Peterborough but I have worked and lived across Canada since I graduated from St. Peter’s High School in 1977. I attended University of Guelph after high school to graduate in 1981 with an Honours Bachelors of Science in Agriculture, majoring in agricultural economics, with a resource management minor.

In law enforcement I have worked as a National Park Warden in Riding Mountain National Park Manitoba, an RCMP officer in Saskatchewan, with the York Regional Police north of Toronto as an officer and legal advisor and First Nations policing on Georgina Island, Lake Simcoe.

I am a Status Aboriginal from the Hiawatha First Nation which is just south of Peterborough. In total I have over 18 years of policing experience.

While working in the 90’s, I also returned to study at the University of Toronto and I received my Juris Doctor Degree (Law) in 2000. Seconded from the York Regional Police I completed my law articles with the Newmarket Crown Attorney’s office and I was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2001. In my last two years at the York Regional Police, I worked as a legal adviser in areas such as organized crime, homicide, child abuse, sexual assaults, search and seizure and the interception of private communications. At present, I do not maintain a regular law practice but I am still a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada and continue to provide legal advice to family, friends and others in need.

You will probably hear my introduction during one of your first classes, but that will be it, after that it is about you being successful in a great program on police foundations studies. I have an open door policy and will make every effort to help you out, so make sure you drop by my office or anyone else’s for that matter. In September 2008 I will also be your 2nd year program coordinator and I would like to know you personally in anticipation of providing a glowing reference to which ever police department or other organization you apply to begin your career. Good luck!