Toronto, ON – February 23, 2026
With nearly 40 years of service with Canada’s largest municipal police service, Deputy Chief Francisco (Frank) Barredo brings one of the most operationally diverse careers the Toronto Police Service has seen — and a perspective shaped as much by his life as by his career.
He is widely recognized for his tactical expertise, deep operational knowledge, and leadership in complex public safety environments, skills that will serve him well as he embarks on this new leadership journey.
Ask Deputy Barredo what leadership looks like, and he doesn’t talk about authority or rank.
“Panic is contagious, but so is calm,” he says. “One of the most important jobs of a leader is to bring calm, let it spread, and empower people to do their best work.”
This philosophy has guided him through moments of intense operational pressure, where decisions matter, emotions run high, and the consequences are real. It’s also shaped how he supports the people he leads, officers and civilian members navigating an increasingly complex policing environment.
“By its nature policing is a dynamic and often stressful environment. Leaders owe it to their people to be steady and thoughtful,” he says. “That’s how you develop and support high‑performing teams.”
Born to parents who immigrated to Canada from Spain, Deputy Barredo grew up in a working‑class household where opportunity was earned, not assumed. That foundation stayed with him as he entered policing at age 19 and built a career that would take him everywhere from the frontline to some of the Service’s most specialized and demanding units.
He joined the Service in 1986 at the top of his class and progressed through the ranks, serving as a member of the Emergency Task Force and as a frontline supervisor at 53 Division. Promoted to Inspector in 2012, he held senior leadership roles including Duty Desk Senior Officer and Second‑in‑Command of the Emergency Management & Public Order Unit. He developed the Public Safety Response Team, now a critical component of the Service’s community safety operations.
Fluent in Spanish, Barredo’s language skills opened doors early in his career, allowing him to contribute to complex investigations and specialized operations. But it was his appetite for learning the job — all of it — that defined his path. His many roles across the Service have contributed to his strong understanding of public order policing, organizational accountability, and modern operational governance.
Over the past two years, Deputy Barredo has served as Commander of Project Resolute, (in response to the October 7th conflict) managing hundreds of dynamic and complex demonstrations across the city. In this role, he demonstrated the ability to balance public safety priorities while managing competing operational demands.
On a personal note, in 2024 Deputy Barredo was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, but that didn’t pull him away from his work. Instead, it sharpened his sense of purpose. He continued to serve in senior command roles, but with a heightened awareness of time and what matters most.
“You become more intentional about how you lead,” he says. “More present. More focused. More committed to making a difference with the time you have.”
For Deputy Barredo, that difference is about people — not titles.
“I love this Service because it’s given me everything,” he reflects. “The experiences, the friendships, the sense of purpose. It goes far beyond rank.”
Those relationships, he says, are what endure. During his illness, colleagues from across the organization reached out — people he hadn’t worked with in years, moments he’d long forgotten but they hadn’t.
“That’s when it hits you,” he says. “It’s not about your position or your pay cheque. It’s about the people and the impact you had on their lives.”
Deputy Barredo steps into the role at a pivotal moment for the Service, one defined by scrutiny, accountability, and the ongoing work of maintaining public trust. He is clear and direct about the responsibility that comes with that.
“Our job is to earn public trust every day,” he says. “And to support the thousands of members who come to work with integrity and professionalism.”
There’s no sense of unfinished business in Barredo’s voice — only urgency. Not fear, not regret, but clarity.
He knows the time he has matters. And he intends to use it.
Original Source: Toronto Police Service Media Centre