Armand P. La Barge, O.O.M.
Chief of Police
Chief Armand La Barge began his career with York Regional Police in 1973. On December 12, 2002, he was appointed as Chief of Police. Chief La Barge is the Past President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and a member of the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association.
Chief La Barge holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree, a Multiculturalism Studies Certificate from York University and a Masters Degree from Trent University in the field of Canadian and Native Studies. Chief La Barge is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, the Queen’s University Executive Program, the Schulich School of Business Masters Certificate in Municipal Management and programs of study at Ontario Police College, Canadian Police College, Durham College, Seneca College and Le Centre Linguistique at Jonquiere, Quebec.
Chief La Barge served as Chair of the Uxbridge Public Library Board and he was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Uxbridge. He also served as Secretary and Director of Community Services for the Rotary Club of Vaughan, where he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship. He is an advisor with the Canadian International Peace Project. Chief La Barge is an active member of the Bishop Marrocco Assembly of the Knights of Columbus, the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem and he is a member of the Board of the Canadian Community Living Foundation, the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation, Vice Chair of St. John Ambulance of York Region and Chair of Special Olympics Ontario.
He is the past Community Chair of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation York Region Ride and the York Region Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids’ Sake. He is Chair of the Adopt a Mission Jamaica Committee and each year, he travels to Jamaica where he and other officers assist the poor and orphans in the Missions. Chief La Barge participates yearly in the Law Enforcement Torch Run which raises funds for the Special Olympics. He is also active in countless other community initiatives that raise funds for such causes as the fight against HIV/AIDS and cancer.
Chief La Barge was awarded the Police Exemplary Service Medal by His Excellency Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn in 1993, the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal by the Honourable David Tsubouchi in 2002, and the Exemplary Service First Bar by Her Excellency Governor General Adrienne Clarkson in 2004. Chief La Barge was invested as an Officer of the Order of Merit by Her Excellency Governor General Michaëlle Jean on May 19, 2006, in Ottawa.
