Ottawa police officer Mohamud Elmi becomes first Somali-Canadian Justice of the Peace in Canada

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OTTAWA (HOL) – A Somali-Canadian police officer has been appointed a Justice of the Peace to the Ontario Court of Justice.

Mohamud Elmi who has been serving as police officer for 18 years becomes the first Somali-Canadian to occupy such a position.

According to the Ontario Court of Justice website, a Justice of the Peace presides over virtually all bail hearings in the province, deals with applications for peace bonds and conducts weapons disposition and prohibition hearings.

As a new Justice of the Peace, Elmi will also be presiding over applications for warrants, and provincial offence trials under statutes including the Highway Traffic Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Trespass to Property Act, the Safe Streets Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Liquor Licence Act, and the Consumer Protection Act, and the Dog Owners’ Liability Act, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.

Elmi is a passionate educationist who attributes his professional career to education. He settled in Canada in 1996 having lived in a refugee camp in Kenya.

In 2012, while serving as a police officer in Ottawa, Elmi joined hands with friends to found  Somali Hope Academy to support children from poor families get quality education in Somalia.

He also volunteered with several organizations including the Ottawa Police Basketball Team and the Ottawa South Rotary Club. He received the Gold Medal Award for human rights and race relations.