Member Spotlight: Staff Superintendent Jennifer McCue

When Staff Superintendent Jennifer McCue attended university, she was deciding between a career in law or following in her father’s footsteps into policing.

“My father was a police officer at that time, so I knew a lot about York Regional Police through him and policing always interested me,” she said. “I did my co-op placement with the Ontario Provincial Police when I was in Grade 11, and from then on it was the love of the job.”

Staff Superintendent McCue said a career in policing has given her the opportunity to give back to the community in a meaningful way.

“It’s also a dynamic and ever-evolving career,” she said.

She described each day in policing as different, with new challenges and responsibilities. “Every day was a new job. You never knew what you would come across,” she said, noting the “endless opportunities” available at York Regional Police.

Recently promoted to Staff Superintendent, McCue now serves in the highest sworn rank below Deputy Chief.

She works under Deputy Chief Paulo Da Silva in the Community Safety Branch.

“I assist Deputy Da Silva in his day-to-day operations, overseeing the Real-Time Operations Centre and all five districts.”

With her promotion, both Staff Superintendent positions are now held by women, which McCue said reflects progress within the organization.

“When I started in Markham on platoon, I was the only female, and I was the only female for a very long time,” she said. “York Regional Police has made great progress towards inclusion.”

Reflecting on her career, McCue said she benefited from early exposure to policing through her father, who encouraged her to pursue her goals.

“It was always ‘you can do anything that you want to do,’” she said, adding that she encourages other women to consider policing as a career.

She also noted that policing can be successfully balanced with family life.

“I have had a successful career and I also have two grown children — you can do it,” she said. “One piece of advice I would give is you can just be yourself. Don’t think that you need to come into the job and be like your male counterparts because women offer different skills, and it’s a benefit.”

Over her career, McCue said policing has continued to evolve alongside the community.

“It continues to change and evolve, and we evolve with it,” she said.

She added that one of the most rewarding parts of the job is the relationships built with colleagues and the community.

“Those bonds that you create are everlasting, and you know they’re always there for you,” she said.

McCue also said the most meaningful part of policing is being able to support people during difficult moments.

“Often you meet people on the worst day of their lives, and if you can play a small part in making that better for them, it’s very rewarding,” she said.