Kathleen O'Toole

Advisory Board

Kathleen O'Toole is widely recognized for her principled leadership and successful reform efforts in North America and Europe. She started her career as a beat officer in the Boston Police Department where she worked a variety of patrol, investigative and undercover assignments. She eventually served as Chief of the Metropolitan District Commission Police; Lieutenant Colonel overseeing Special Operations in the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety; Boston Police Commissioner; and Seattle Chief of Police.

Chief O'Toole also served as Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána, the Irish national police service. She was a member of the Independent Commission on Policing during the Northern Ireland Peace Process and recently chaired the Commission on the Future of Policing in the Republic of Ireland.

Chief O'Toole earned a PhD at the Business School of Trinity College Dublin, JD at New England School of Law, and BA at Boston College. She was admitted to the bar as a practicing attorney in 1982.