Sgt. Lonny Blackett (retired) was the first Black officer to join Peel Regional Police back in 1974. (Photo: Peel Regional Police)

The first Black police officer recruited in Peel Region will soon have a street named after him.

Ret. Sgt. Lonsdale (Lonny) Blackett, who began serving in 1974 when Peel Regional Police first came into operation, will be the recipient of the honour that still has to go through some procedural steps before it becomes a reality.

“He dedicated his life to public safety and is a long-time Bramptonian,” Mayor Patrick Brown said about the plan at today’s (Feb. 4) city council meeting.

In a 2024 interview with INsauga.com, Blackett explained it was a different world when he became a police officer 50 years ago.

“There was one other Black officer with the old Mississauga police, but I was the first hired after regionalization,” Blackett said, adding that the Black population in Peel Region was very small and prejudices were evident.

The retired sergeant says he was mostly welcomed by his fellow white recruits, but not all were so accepting of his presence on the force, saying he was the butt of racist jokes.

“There were times, I believe, that some of them just wanted me to quit,” Blackett said, recalling how officers would hassle him. “But you took it in stride, you laughed it off, and then you proved yourself.”

Blackett proved his mettle during his 33-year career, working first in Brampton’s 21 Division before going on to help enlist other minority officers as a recruiter and form the Peel Regional Police Airport Division, among other accomplishments.

When moving into a recruiting position, Blackett helped revamp the force’s selection and hiring practices, which were so successful that he was part of a team running week-long recruiting courses for police forces in Ontario — methods he says are still being used by police services across the province.

The proposal to name a street after Blackett has come at the request of Brampton Wards 3 and 4 Regional Councillor Dennis Keenan, who said the honour was well-deserved.

Before a street name becomes a reality, it has to go through the process of being approved by first responders to make sure the name does not sound like an existing street name, which could cause confusion during an emergency.

Mayor Brown said he was confident the name would be approved and hoped that the process could be achieved in February during Black History Month.

— with files from Ryan Rumbolt

 


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