Kenyan-born Police Officer Celebrated for Promoting Inclusion and Public Service in Canada

Kenyan-born police officer Idris Maloba has received a Canadian award recognising his work in promoting equity, diversity and inclusion.

Constable Maloba, who joined the Ottawa Police Service in 2020, was honoured at the Thomas G. Flanagan First Responders Awards. Before becoming a police officer, he worked as a social worker with the Youth Services Bureau, where he supported young people facing a range of social and personal challenges. 

That experience has informed his approach to policing, with an emphasis on empathy, trust-building and cooperation with communities. Beyond his work in Canada, Maloba is involved in Project Chance Africa, an initiative that supports underserved communities across the continent. 

The project has organised fundraising efforts and volunteer activities to improve access to opportunities for young people. Its work includes the development of sports facilities such as football pitches designed to provide safe spaces for recreation and community engagement.

In Ottawa, he has focused on strengthening relations between police officers and multicultural communities. His efforts aim to improve communication, address misunderstandings and build trust between law enforcement and minority groups.

His experience is seen as an example of how members of the diaspora can use their roles abroad to support development and opportunity in their countries of origin while contributing to inclusion in their adopted communities.