The Edmonton Police Commission announces Ben Henderson as Chair and Shazia Amiri as Vice Chair for terms ending December 31, 2025.
Henderson was appointed to the Commission on January 1, 2024. He served on Edmonton City Council from 2007 to 2021, for Ward 8 in the central southside. While on City Council he led initiatives that created the City of Edmonton’s Poverty Elimination Strategy, WinterCity Strategy, Public Engagement Strategy, and Energy Transition Strategy. After stepping down as City Councillor, he started his own consulting company, specializing in public engagement, governance, government relations and Winter Cities. He currently serves as co-chair of EndPovertyEdmonton, and nationally on the board of the Tamarack Institute. Ben also served as the Chair of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Green Municipal Fund for seven years, on the FCM board, as Chair of the Inter City Forum on Social Policy and on the Canada Council on the Social Determinants of Health.
Amiri was appointed to the Commission on January 1, 2022. She is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers in good standing. Throughout her career, she has worked in various non-profits agencies such as E4C, Boyle McCauley Health Centre, and Boyle Street Community Services as well as with the Edmonton Police Service working collaboratively with members on the Heavy Users of Service project. She has worked for the Government of Alberta since 2015 within the Ministry of Community and Social Services for the AISH program and Disability Services and currently, for the Ministry of Children’s Services. Within Children’s Services, she has held various positions including working with high-risk youth, completing community assessments, as well as completing investigations for children in care. Through her personal journey and professional practice, she has gained knowledge in several areas such as racism, gender equity, poverty, homelessness, marginalization, addictions, mental health, trauma, justice/law enforcement and working with vulnerable populations, including Indigenous and refugee communities.