A Legacy of Service: The Bassey Osagie Story.
Eben Enasco Reporting
A flashback to Bassey Osagie’s early days as a Court Officer in the Toronto Police Service explains a necessity to a modest beginning.
Bassey’s journey began in June 1998, where he started as a Court Officer, ensuring the safety and integrity of the judicial process.
Since then, he has been a man whose dedication to justice and community has spanned over two decades, where he has exhibited
working diligently as a Court Officer, providing security and support to judges, crown prosecutors, and the public.
Subsequently, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a Police Recruit in 2000 and achieving the rank of First Class Police Constable in 2004.
Bassey has shown that graduating from the Ontario Police College, followed by his promotion to 4th Class Police Constable and later to First Class Police Constable was not a fluke.
While serving in various units, including the Primary Response Unit, Major Crime Unit, and Homicide Squad, he tackled complex cases and built a reputation for excellence, highlighting his diverse policing experience.
He was assigned to 32 Division, serving in the Primary Response Unit, Alternative Response Unit, Community Response Unit, Divisional Warrant Office, and as a Detective Constable in the Major Crime Unit and the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Bassey at the 32 Division, he served as Supervisory Officer of B Platoon in the Priority Response Unit, managing frontline officers responding to 911 calls for service including robberies, sexual assaults, emotionally disturbed persons, frauds, and other major crimes.
Over the years, he has also served in the Street Violence Task Force, Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy T.A.V.I.S., Human Resources Management, Background Investigations of Candidates and as a Detective in the elite Homicide Squad.
In 2011, Bassey was promoted to Sergeant/Detective, a milestone that marked his leadership and expertise in the field, while becoming the highest-ranking Nigerian-born police officer in the Toronto Police Service at the time.
Following his promotion, he was assigned to 12 Division as both a Road Supervisor and a Detective in the Criminal Investigation Bureau, overseeing divisional investigations of financial crimes, assaults, youth and gun violence, fraud, domestic violence, sexual assaults, robberies, and other serious offences.
Between 2014 and 2018, he was the Supervisory Officer assigned to the Divisional Policing Support Unit, DPSU, where he also represented the Toronto Police Service at the Toronto Youth Cabinet at City Hall.
He is now designated to assume the rank of Duty Inspector, marking another historic career milestone.
Bassey is a recipient of over sixteen (16) Unit Commander Awards, the St. John’s Ambulance Lifesaving Award, Vigor Volunteer of the Year Award, Canada @150 Citizen Award, commendations, and a Community Award of Excellence from the Baptist Methodist Church.
He was also honored with the 2015 Black History Month Community Award by the then Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. He is a seasoned expert in Community Policing with over two decades of diverse policing experience.
He has continued to demonstrate exceptional leadership, overseeing community outreach programs, youth initiatives, and critical incident responses that strengthened trust and collaboration between the Toronto Police Service and Toronto’s diverse communities.
In December 2023, he was placed on the Staff Sergeant promotional list. He later served as Acting Staff Sergeant before he was officially promoted and confirmed as Staff Sergeant in September 2025.
And now, as Staff Sergeant, Bassey continues to inspire and serve the community with integrity, professionalism, and dedication.
At a recent event, when he was captured, Bassey was heard expressing his appreciation when he said: “I am truly honored to continue serving the people of Toronto in the new leadership capacity”.
According to him, “My journey would not have been possible without the unwavering love and support of my family, the guidance and encouragement of my superiors, and the mentorship I have received throughout my career.”
He dedicated this achievement to them and remained committed to serving with integrity, professionalism, and dedication.
Bassey Osagie’s legacy is one of service, leadership, community empowerment and a testament to the impact one person can have on the lives of others.