20 Under 40: Evan Harrison

Meet Evan Harrison, a constable with the London Police Service and one of our 20 Under 40 Class of 2020 recipients

ALSO A RECIPIENT of the Ontario Police Association’s Police Hero of the Year in 2020, Evan Harrison spends countless hours outside of his on-duty time giving back to the community and working with special-needs groups.

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What would you say is your biggest business achievement?

As a school safety officer working in the London Police Service’s Community Services Unit, I have the opportunity to create programs that I find valuable to our city. One noteworthy program that I truly enjoy is our hospital visit days. This is when I take the time to visit the children who are currently admitted, and I have been blessed to have the opportunity to work with Children’s Hospital, ChildCan and other amazing programs within the city.

“This pandemic taught me to cherish our time with loved ones, to revert back to family dinners, to go for walks and to enjoy life to our highest potential” ―Evan Harrison

You also have crossed paths with someone on this year’s 20 Under 40 list before, correct?

In 2014, I entered into a charity dance competition representing the London Police Service with another officer to raise money for defibrillators — it was called Dancing with the Stars of 911. Ashley Aarts volunteered her time to coach and choreograph my team’s dance through her studio at Dance London. By no means have I ever danced before in my life, but we ended up winning the competition!

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Who has been your biggest influence throughout your career?

I look at my wife, who is the definition of strength and courage, as she had beat cancer at the young age of 30. I look at my coworkers in the Community Services Unit, who do such amazing work and truly have been the people to help me excel in my own role. I also look at the other police officers, who I am proud to work alongside and who show courage and resiliency every day. These are the people that influence me to be the best version of myself.

What has Covid-19 taught you about yourself and your work?

It proved to me that we, as a community, are stronger than we think. This pandemic taught me to cherish our time with loved ones, to revert back to family dinners, to go for walks and to enjoy life to our highest potential.

What’s on your bookshelf these days?

I have just finished the memoir Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. I am a big Mitch Albom fan, and have read The Five People you Meet in Heaven numerous times, as well as Tuesdays with Morrie. Interview by Kieran Delamont