The Dispatch - The Official Magazine of the Police Association of Ontario | Winter 2023

Beyond the Badge

Charity Initiatives

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

10 Meet Solicitor General Michael Kerzner Get to know your Solicitor General in this Q&A. 12 PAO’s 2023 Lobbying Priorities Focus on Staffing

The PAO is lobbying the government to address the province-wide staffing crisis.

MEMBER NEWS

14 Niagara Parks Police Service: Unique in Ontario

Learn a little bit about what makes the Niagara Parks Police Service so different from other services in Ontario.

SPOTLIGHTS

16 Working Towards Boosting Morale BY LAUREN ALPERN Association Spotlight: North Bay Police Association 20 Answering the Call BY LAUREN ALPERN Sworn Member Spotlight: Constable Judith Solomon, Peel Police Service 24 Overcoming Personal Obstacles Leads to Member Advocacy BY LAUREN ALPERN Civilian Member Spotlight: Tim Morrison, Durham Regional Police Association

FEATURES

28 Five Officer Deaths in Five Weeks Takes Its Toll on Members

BY LAUREN ALPERN

It has been a difficult time for Ontario’s policing community, with so many deaths in such a short time period. In addition to their grief, members are angry and calling for change.

34 Stress Overload BY LAUREN ALPERN

In a province-wide staffing crisis, working members are doing their best to serve their communities. But it’s taking a toll.

40 How a Fall from Grace Led a York Regional Police Officer to Start a Resiliency Support Group for Accommodated Members

BY LAUREN ALPERN

Ryan Harrison is coming to terms with his new normal – and helping others come to theirs.

The Dispatch Winter 2023

Email: communications@pao.ca

General Inquiries: 416.487.9367 Advertising Inquiries: 416.569.7577

PAO Staff

President: Mark Baxter

Executive Director: Tyler Callaghan Communications Director: Lauren Alpern Counsel: Michael Duffy Events & Office Administrator: Karen Peral

Magazine Team Editor: Lauren Alpern

Copy Editor: Dave Mitchell Designer: Jonathan Cresswell-Jones Advertising Sales: iMarketing

The last few months in the policing community have been difficult. I understand how hard the deaths of these officers hit all of you – hit all of us, now that I’m part of this community, too.

As much as I enjoy working on this magazine and getting to know our members in the process, this one was tough. The cover was tough. But at the same time, I think it’s a beautiful tribute to the members we lost. It’s sombre and solemn, while at the same time, beautiful and emotional. No words are required.

I want to also note the tragic death of Cst. Drew Nadeau of the Ottawa Police Service, who was killed in a car accident on his way home

from work shortly before this magazine went to press. His death is no less difficult to process. Our condolences go out to the OPS, the Ottawa Police Association and Cst. Nadeau’s friends, family and colleagues.

I hope you will take the time to read the feature article on page 28 about the officers who died tragically this fall and the impact these events have had on our members.

On page 34, read about the province’s staffing crisis and, on page 40, learn about how Ryan Harrison from the York Regional Police started a Resiliency Support Group for Accommodated Members after his own difficulties.

In our Member Spotlight on page 16, get to know the North Bay Police Association,

Online Degree Bachelor of Applied Arts Justice & Public Safety

and on page 20, gain some insight into Peel Police’s Cst. Judith Solomon, who was named Ontario Women in Law Enforcement’s Officer of the Year in 2022.

Finally, on page 24, learn a little bit about what makes civilian member Tim Morrison of the Durham Police Association such a great advo cate for his members.

As always, if you have any feedback or story ideas, please contact me at lauren.alpern@pao.ca

Happy holidays and stay safe.

Lauren Alpern Editor

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear members, Welcome to the second issue of the Police Association of Ontario’s rebranded magazine, The Dispatch. The first issue received a lot of positive feedback, and we hope that you, our sworn and civilian members, also enjoy this Winter 2023 issue. Please read it. Please share it. These are important stories, and they are your stories.

This has been an incredibly difficult few months for our policing community, with the senseless murders of Constable Andrew Hong, South Simcoe Constables Devon Northrup and Morgan Russell, and RCMP Constable Shaelyn Yang, as well as the tragic death of Constable Gillespie in a head-on colli sion with an impaired driver on his way to work. There’s also the more recent death of Constable Drew Nadeau in a motor vehicle collision on his way home from work.

Faced with these awful events, it is a testament to our policing family how deeply connected we are to one another. Numerous members reached out immediately to offer assistance. Several members attended South Simcoe on the evening of October 11 to offer support to President Leah Thomas, as well as other members of their executive and those directly involved in the incident. It was an honour to attend the visitation of both officers and offer condolences to their families on behalf of the entire PAO. The PAO also chartered a plane to Vancouver, with almost 100 police personnel from across the province flying to British Columbia to honour Constable Yang. We will continue to keep each of these fallen officers, their families and their col leagues in our thoughts – our Heroes in Life, Not Death.

The PAO will continue to work with all levels of govern ment and with our partners at the Canadian Police Association to advocate for meaningful bail reform and end the catch-andrelease system that we’re working with right now. We all under stand the inherent dangers of our job, but we need to do what we can to improve the safety of our police personnel when they go to work. Please read the article on page 28 about the officer deaths and the toll they’ve taken on our members.

end of August and has already proven to be an incredible asset to the PAO team.

I look forward to continuing to represent our members and create a space that allows for our membership to continue to grow and prosper. Have a very happy holidays and stay safe.

In unity,

Mark Baxter

The Police Hero Awards Ceremony honouring Owen Sound’s Cory Fernando.

EVENTS CALENDAR

JANUARY

January 30 & 31

PAO Winter Membership Meeting Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront

FEBRUARY

February 27 & 28

PAO Employment Conference

Sheraton Parkway Toronto North, Richmond Hill

MAY

May 30 – June 2

PAO AGM York Regional Police Association

SEPTEMBER

September 23

NRPA Cliff Priest Memorial Golf Tournament

“The Clifford” Bridgewater Golf Club, Fort Erie

NOVEMBER

November 14-16

Above left: The Advisory Council of Presidents roundtable at Blue Mountain in October. The other photos are from the Civilian Conference, also at Blue Mountain in October.

PAO

Fall Membership Meeting

Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel

lawyers for trade unions and employees

Tel: 416.968.3333 Fax: 416.968.0325

555 Richmond St. W. • Suite 1200 Toronto • Ontario • M5V 3B1 www.upfhlaw.ca

PHOTO BY VINCENZO PIETROPAOLO

AFFAIRS

A Message from Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario

It’s an honour to contribute to the Police Association of Ontario’s magazine and share some of my thoughts as Solicitor General of Ontario.

Since being appointed by Premier Doug Ford in July, I have been learning so much – and your members have taught me so much.

Most of all, I have learned that you represent a family, an extended family, and a true community. It really is a brotherhood and sisterhood. I feel very much a part of it.

First responders look after each other. That really hit home for me when tragedy impacted the policing community with the deaths of Toronto Police Constable Andrew Hong, York Regional Constable Travis Gillespie and South Simcoe Constables Devon Northrup and Morgan Russell.

You came together and paid tribute to their lives and sacrifice. It affected me deeply, and I think of them every day.

We grieve with those who grieve, and we pray with those who pray. We should remember them for the lives they lived.

I’ve been Solicitor General for about 150 days. But the

experiences I have had so far have been the honour of a lifetime.

My appreciation for the work you do for our public safety and communities has only grown. Not only on what wearing a uniform means, but the incredible bravery and dedication you bring to the job. It’s amazing what you do every day – with no expecta tion of being thanked.

I’ve talked to hundreds of police officers across the province in many detach ments, and they always impress me with their profes sionalism, pride and dedica tion to duty.

All too often, public safety is a thankless task. All too often, nobody stops to thank a police officer for what they do. As Solicitor General, I want to help change this and be a champion of your work.

In my role as Solicitor General, I see myself as an ambassador. As Premier Ford has said, we will always have your backs. I will always champion mental health supports.

It’s a privilege and a high honour to work with you, and I look forward to continuing our partnership to keep Ontario safe, each and every day.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Q&A with Solicitor General Michael Kerzner

The Dispatch: How are you enjoying your portfolio as Solicitor General?

Minister Kerzner: Being Solicitor General of Ontario is the honour of a lifetime. When I first stepped into the role, I dedicated myself to listening and learning. And that is what I’ve done in these first 150 days. I’ve had the opportunity to tour this beautiful province and meet with the brave men and women who keep Ontario safe each and every day.

The Dispatch: What is the biggest thing you’ve learned about first responders since you’ve started in this role?

MK: What has struck me most is the brotherhood and sisterhood – it’s amazingly strong and special. Sadly, your community has lost several officers in recent months. We’ve shed tears together and held each other close. But I’m also in awe of the resilience that the first responder community continues to show. And I thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives.

The Dispatch: What changes can you introduce to improve working conditions for first responders?

MK: As Premier Doug Ford

often says, we will always have your backs. And I’m here to say, I will also always have your backs. You can count on me. What that means, as Solicitor General, is that we will continue to provide the tools you need to keep Ontario safe and to keep you safe. That means providing mental health resources for first responders that are needed now.

The Dispatch: Now that you’ve been in your role for a little while, what else would you say you’ve learned about the policing community? Any misconceptions that have been corrected?

MK: As I’ve said before, I’m overwhelmed by the bond within your community and your values and ethics to protect and serve. I’ve seen firsthand the unwavering dedication and support that you provide one another in good times and in bad. That will remain with me long after I leave this role. Before I became Solicitor General, I used to see the uniforms. Now I see the men and women who wear them.

The Dispatch: How important is your relationship with the PAO and the other police associations across the province?

Solicitor General Kerzner has been incredibly supportive of events in the policing community, including attending the Police Memorial in Ottawa and the Run to Remember sendoff in Toronto. At right, he is pictured with PAO Executive Director Tyler Callaghan and President Mark Baxter, along with Mark’s children.

those who stand up for our community. I’ve had the privilege of meeting regularly with Mark Baxter, and I appreciate his friendship and guidance. He is an exceptional individual. I also attended the PAO Police Hero of the Year award ceremony in Guelph and look forward to attending many more.

The Dispatch: What were you doing before you went into politics?

MK: I was an entrepreneur in the biotech and technology sectors. I am a person who believes in creativity, the imagination and human progress.

The Dispatch: Was it a difficult decision to give up your previous career?

MK: You leave behind the satisfaction of your accomplishments in the private sector, but I’ve always believed in service over self. I’m honoured to spend my time as both MPP of York Centre, where I’ve lived with my family for over 25 years, and now as Solicitor General. I’m very grateful to Premier Ford for allowing me to be part of his team.

The Dispatch: Has it been an easy transition?

MK: The transition from the private to the public sector has been a great honour,

General align with my personal values. I believe everyone has a right to feel safe in their own homes and their own communities. I believe everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect. And I believe, as I said, in service over self.

The Dispatch: What is your favourite part about being Solicitor General?

MK: Now that’s a hard question! I’ve always been an early riser and so I look forward every day to working in my portfolio. From my amazing teams at the ministry and the constituency office, to the incredible frontline staff who keep us safe every day, I’m a very lucky person.

The Dispatch: What would you say has been the most difficult part?

MK: I would say understanding the totality of the responsibility, and the impact that one can make.

The Dispatch: What do you miss most about working in the technology industry?

MK: Coming from the private sector, the process of government was a big adjustment.

Given that we are very mindful that this is the taxpayers’ money, we are careful to ensure every penny is spent in a fiscally responsible way.

Top left: Minister Kerzner was honoured to attending the Police Hero Award ceremony in Guelph in October.

Above: The Solicitor General with MPP Saunderson at the OPP’s Collingwood and Blue Mountains Detachment.

The Dispatch: You’re also the MPP for York Centre. How are you finding the balance between that role and your role as Solicitor General?

MK: It’s not easy. Being Solicitor General is a demanding job. As an elected official, you try to balance the needs of your constituents with the government priorities. During the week, I focus on ministry work. But I set aside Fridays specifically for constituency work. I love my community and love to interact with my constituents. I am here because of them.

The Dispatch: What about your work/life balance? We know that you have three kids and your family seems to be very important to you. Have you been able to keep your work/ life balance intact?

MK: I could never have embarked on this journey without the support of family and friends. It’s unbelievable how much encouragement and support they gave me to reach this point.

The Dispatch: Tell us a little bit about your family.

MK: I am a proud third generation Ontarian who is blessed to have both parents

still alive and well. They’re very much engaged in my new career. My three children are bright, energetic and concerned individuals who offer me unconditional love. My wife has been there for me every step of the way.

The Dispatch: And they have been extremely supportive of your new career?

MK: Beyond supportive! There is no doubt I am where I am today because of them. Having the love and support of my family gives me the tools I need to do what I need to do every day.

The Dispatch: Volunteer work seems to be important to you. What are some of the organizations that you have dedicated your time and efforts to?

MK: I have been a champion of inter-faith dialogue – which is needed more than ever. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. I’ve been a community activist for decades.

The Dispatch: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions and for your support.

MK: The pleasure was mine.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

PAO’s 2023 Lobbying Priorities Focus on Staffing

By Michael Duffy

The Police Association of Ontario (PAO) is the official provincial representative body for over 28,000 sworn and civilian police personnel from 45 police associations across Ontario. A unifying voice for advocacy in policing that was founded in 1933, the PAO provides its member associations with representation, resources and support.

The PAO is involved in a variety of activities at the provincial level on behalf of Ontario’s sworn officers and civilian police service employees. Through lobbying and engagement with government, the PAO has made significant advances on a number of critical pieces of legislation that impact on our membership and the communities that they serve.

In 2023, the PAO’s lobbying efforts are focused on staffing.

When residents of Ontario require assistance, they rely on their local police to be there when they call. Across Ontario, police service employees are there to provide support, resources, education and a wide variety of public services to people in need. The availability of police resources is central to community safety and is the backstop against which all other community endeavours lean for support.

Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, there are not enough people doing police work in Ontario today. Be it police officers or civilian staff, such as 911 commu nicators, shifts are running below minimums. This has had a corresponding impact on service levels. Response times for police officers are lengthening, and it is custom ary for people who call 911 to wait for at least several minutes before their call is answered. According to the Auditor General of Ontario, the Ontario Provincial Police frontline has a vacancy rate of more than 25% and as a result the OPP is consistently failing to deliver effective police services1. This issue is not unique to the OPP. In practically every police ser vice in Ontario, positions are unfilled, authorized comple ment is inadequate and appli cation figures are consistently decreasing.

There is no arguing that police work is difficult. No matter the role, the demands of the job are high and operational stress is common. A generation ago, individuals willingly stood up to take on these difficult roles in great numbers because of their commitment to community service and the understanding that policing was a noble and respected profession. That

in the community, police are frequently disparaged in the press and in social media, in our schools and by various public figures. Despite the fact that Ontario’s police are extremely well-trained in matters such as anti-bias, de-escalation and traumainformed practices, the failures of police services in other parts of North

At the same time, the staffing crisis has made the work more difficult. As the crisis grows, demand for overtime is burning out members and contributing to operational stress. When emergency response is under this much strain, there is simply no operational capacity for things like community policing, outreach and relationship building.

Thankfully, there remain individuals who wish to pursue a career in policing despite these issues. However, these potential candidates are often met with barriers to becoming qualified. For example, the Ontario Police College runs on a model that requires recruits to pay tuition of about $17,000 to complete basic training.

Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019, should be revisited. It should be more nuanced. Bill 124 constrains the bargaining flexibility of unionized employees in the Ontario Public Service which includes members of the Ontario Provincial Police Association, and imposes an increase of 1% on all salaries covered by the subsequent three years of any collective agreement. We all know that limiting wages impacts recruitment of new candidates. It also has an impact on the morale of existing officers at a time when policing in Ontario is already at a breaking point. The PAO anticipates significant impacts on public safety and emergency response if something is not done to alter the current trajectory.

This government has been responsive to other concerns about the challenges posed by Bill 124 to essential services. We note the government’s $5,000 bonus for Ontario nurses announced last March, aimed at retention in that profession. The same flexibility is needed in this case for the OPPA. Ontario’s police personnel face identical pressures, strains and risks as many other frontline personnel. As the Bill 124 era winds down, it’s important that its effect on the future of policing in Ontario not be a reduction in service levels or service quality, but instead be a malleable approach that reflected the unique circumstances facing police personnel, and the value they provide to their communities.

Over the course of Canadian history, we have seen governments take drastic steps to ensure that essential work is being performed at a high-level. We have seen public image and recruitment campaigns succeed in relation to skilled trades and the armed forces. A similar campaign for policing could ward off the coming crisis and encourage young people to consider this noble and rewarding

According to the Auditor General of Ontario, the Ontario Provincial Police frontline has a vacancy rate of more than 25%.

profession again. Efforts to inject funding into policing by establishing hiring grants and defraying the costs of becoming a police officer must be immediately considered.

The PAO and our members are ready and willing to do the necessary work in partnership with the government and other stakeholders to ensure

that Ontarians receive the police services they deserve, and our members can continue to go to work knowing that they are part of a wellstaffed organization that can provide them with backup when they need it.

Please see the article on the province’s staffing crisis on page 34.

Niagara Parks Police Service: Unique in Ontario

By Lauren Alpern

The many police services across Ontario have a lot in common, as far as how they’re run and the issues they face. Perhaps the only exception is the Niagara Parks Police Service (NPPS), which technically doesn’t have any sworn police officers and operates under the Niagara Parks Commission, an agency of the Province of Ontario.

“In Ontario, policing services are delivered by the OPP or a municipal police services board,” said Niagara Parks Police Association President Adam Kitson. “Our employer; however, is the Niagara Parks Commission, and not a municipality. The Regional Municipality of Niagara Police Services Board maintains jurisdiction for policing and appoint our members as Special Constables. Despite having much of the same powers and authorities as sworn police officers, we can’t be classified as such under the Police Services Act.”

Established in 1887, the NPPS is one of the oldest police services in Ontario –even older than the OPP, which was established in 1909. The service was originally made up of a Head Policeman, who earned $2.50 per day, and a regular policeman, who earned $2 per day. On top of their pay, they both received two uni-

The NPPS has a beautiful headquarters opposite the falls.

forms, two pairs of strong boots and a winter overcoat.

Today, the NPPS staff is made up of 21 special constables, which includes 15 constables, four sergeants, one inspector and the chief. They also have four communicators on staff, as well as two part-time provincial offences officers. In the summer, the NPPS hires up to 40 additional provincial offences officers, all of whom are students looking to get into the law enforcement field. They currently have a complement of 28 provincial offences officers, which Chief Paul Forcier said is like “the farm team for police officers.”

The provincial offences officers take on responsibilities like parking enforcement, traffic direction, special

events, lower priority calls for service and minor first-aid related calls. They are not trained or authorized to carry any form of use-of-force equipment and only carry two-way radios for communication. The Service’s special constables, however, are armed and receive the same training as a regular police officer. All positions within the NPPS would traditionally be considered civilian roles, despite the fact that their special constables have the same authorities as sworn police officers.

“We used to be police officers like everyone else at one time, but somewhere along the way, we were converted to special constables,” said Chief Forcier, who joined the service as a student officer in 1988,

became a constable in 1989 and was named chief in 2019. “There is general acceptance because everyone knows we’re very much an anomaly amongst special constables. We’ve always had the expansive police powers and use of force options.”

Adam, who started with the NPPS as a provincial offences officer in 2008 and became a full-time constable in 2013, said

that even though he and his fellow special constables carry a firearm, go to the OPC and have the power and authority to enforce, among others, the Criminal Code, the Niagara Parks Act, the Highway Traffic Act and the Liquor License Act, there is sometimes still some confusion over the role they play in policing.

“There is no other Service quite like ours in the province,” said Adam. “While we are designated as special constables under the Police Services Act, it is not a box we fit into cleanly; and that can sometimes be confusing. We have 15 million visitors who come through our area every year, and it’s important for people to know that when they come to us, they’re going to get the same level of front-line service that would be provided by any police service.

As the only park police in Ontario, the NPPS takes care of the Niagara Parks and the high-profile tourism within the parks. Chief Forcier recalls how quiet things were during the pandemic lockdown, when the usual throng of tourists to the area was drastically reduced.

“Pre-pandemic, we had about 12-14 million domestic and international visitors annu-

ally. Now, we’re probably at about 60 per cent of where we were pre-pandemic,” said Chief Forcier. “We came back pretty well, but we’re not seeing the American visitors to the degree that we normally would, and they spend more per capita. They might represent 30 per cent of the headcount, but at least 50 per cent of revenue.”

The NPPS is fully funded from the budget of the Niagara Parks Commission and operates with an annual budget of approximately $3.6 million. The Niagara Parks Commission is a Crown agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and revenue is generated from things like retail, culinary, golf, attractions and parking – not from tax dollars. Not having any tourists during the height of the pandemic drastically reduced the Commission’s budget, but thanks to government grants from the province to the NPC, the NPPS was able to retain all of its staff.

“We didn’t lose staff or headcount, we just had fewer students,” said Chief Forcier. “We had to reduce that number because the traffic wasn’t there during the pandemic. Other than that, there wasn’t a dramatic impact on staffing for our service.”

Regardless of the number of tourists, the NPPS is primarily responsible for 3,274 acres of parkland along 56 kilometres of highway owned and operated under the Niagara Parks Commission, from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. That includes a unique geographical environment in the form of the Niagara Gorge and the Niagara River, which necessitates a specially trained response to unique incidents that occur on their lands. Ten NPPS special constables form a part-time unit known as the High Angle River Team, who are trained in high-angle rope access and rescue, as well as swift water operations. They work in conjunction with other local emergency services, as well as their private sector tourism partners who help facilitate operations in that unique environment.

The Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) maintain jurisdictional authority over all areas of the Niagara Region, including the Niagara Parks, but the two services work together very closely and often assist on each other’s calls.

“We’ve got a long-standing history and working relationship with them. Our officers train and work together, and we run an identical platoon

shift schedule to them. We’re constantly interacting and working alongside their members,” said Adam. “We often help augment each other if something big happens down in the parks or in the city around the casino district.”

Chief Forcier underscored the excellent, long-standing working relationship his service has with the NRPS, who, because the NPPS doesn’t have the same functions as a small service, will provide support services, additional investigative services for any major incidents, detective services, major crimes and more.

“Every incident that we deal with goes directly into their central records system,” said Chief Forcier. “Their supervisors are notified, detective services, forensics, the coroner – it all happens organically.”

With the NPPS’s highprofile dedication to promoting visitor safety, the model that has been in place for 135 years is working, despite the anomalies.

“We’re not based on a static, residential population, and we’re unique that way,” said Chief Forcier. “It’s not really urban policing. Our international and domestic visitors represent a microcosm of the world in the parks.”

Ten NPPS special constables form a part-time unit known as the High Angle River Team, who are trained in high-angle rope access and rescue, as well as swift water operations.

ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT

North Bay Police Association: Working Towards Boosting Morale

By Lauren Alpern

The North Bay Police Association (NBPA) is dealing with many issues common to the other provincial associations: staff shortages, recruitment issues, morale and member mental health and wellness. In fact, President Vince Corrente thinks that the North Bay Police Service (NBPS) has a higher percentage of mem bers out of the workplace on approved WSIB Operational Stress Injury Claims leave than most other services, which is causing burnout amongst the active members.

“We’re not unique in dealing with the problems of being understaffed and trying to get proper support for our members with mental health problems, but where we are unique is the percent age of people we have off, especially on the sworn side,” said Vince, who has been on the NBPA Executive for two years. “With about 22 sworn members off right now, we’re at over 20 per cent of members who are off work, the majority because of PTSDrelated issues. That’s a pretty high percentage for a small service like us. Plus, very few come back once they’re off.”

With a regular complement of 104 sworn members, the NBPS is currently only operating with about 80 officers.

high percentage of staff on leave, but he has his theories.

“I think part of the reason is that we just don’t have enough support systems in place. And we haven’t for years. I know that my friends and colleagues who attend traumatic scenes or events have had debriefings, but they’ve said they did not have enough ongoing support. As a result, a lot of them never properly work through things, which catches up with them,” said Vince, a sergeant with 18 years of service. “A lot of

service doesn’t have mental health resources. Many of our members who are off are the older generation because they’ve just had to grin and bear it. The previous generations are less open to getting help – that needs to change in our police service’s culture.”

Current NBPS Chief Scott Tod is the first chief in North Bay to implement any member mental health programs, including the Project Safeguard program in which a limited number of sworn officers and civilians in identified high

psychologist at regular intervals to check on their well-being. The association hopes to see this program made mandatory and expanded to all sworn members.

The Peer Connect program and a Wellness Committee are also up and running, while a wellness program is also in the works. The service has also been trying to hire a Wellness Coordinator, without success. Until that position is filled, it will be difficult to get the wellness program up and running.

“We’ve been able to work well with the chief, and we hope going forward that we can continue to do so – especially with health and wellness,” said Vince. “But until they get that Wellness Coordinator in, we won’t really have a wellness program. We have come a long way in the last few years, but we seem to be behind the rest of the province and need to catch up. Both the Association and Police Service will have to work together to improve our member wellness.”

Eric Krmpotic, a detective constable with 17 years of service and the association’s First-Vice President, agrees with Vince that until that role is filled, it will be difficult to move in the right direction.

“If that position were filled, it would be a good sign for members moving forward that this is being taken care of. I know a lot of the concern from the membership is that it’s not a priority for the administration,” said Eric. “We have the money

Top left: Treasurer Jane Wilkinson presents a donation cheque to a local charity golf tournament, which raises funds for PTSD.

Left: Fundraising Committee from left to right – First-Vice President Eric Krmpotic, volunteer driver Walter Krmpotic and Treasurer Tania Mattes. Below: from left to right – the PAO’s Michael Duffy, Vince Corrente and PAO President Mark Baxter.

allotted to the role, but we can’t find someone to take the program and steer it in the right direction, which I think is causing lots of angst and concern with our members. We constantly have members going off. People think that if we had someone in place, maybe we could prevent some of this.”

Eric was keen to be involved with the NBPA in order to help the wellness component. He has been taking reintegration training to help officers return to work after being off for a long period of time.

He is also one of six Peer Connect supporters, but Eric says that despite all members being part of the app, usage is low. That lack of usage leaves few success stories to share, which makes it even more difficult to get the buy-in. In addition, the peer supporters are all busy with their full-time jobs and don’t have time to promote the tool.

“I’m not really busy as a peer supporter. I’m not sure why, but there’s skepticism that’s occurring here and there are trust issues on top of things. I’ve heard from members that they

NBPA by the numbers

Members: 170 Year Founded: 1945 Executive Members: 7 Full-time Executive Members: 0

don’t feel supported by the organization, so it’s often a moral injury as opposed to a stress injury,” said Eric. “I know that burnout is a big issue right now. A lot of services are busy, but because

we have fewer officers on the road and our calls are increasing, we have to carry more of the weight. People are taking a break or even re-evaluating their career choice.”

Adding to the burnout

problem is the difficult task of recruiting. The NBPS board has approved the hiring of nine new officers in 2022 and the Chief is seeking to get approval for six more in 2023, but, as Vince says, the candidates aren’t there.

“We have the permission to hire, but we’re still struggling to hire – we just don’t get the same number of candidates anymore,” he said. “I think

part of the problem is the changing perception of police in society making people less interested in a policing career, and candidates aren’t passing the background checks.”

Things in North Bay might be tough, but the association remains committed to community involvement and is returning to the numerous charitable causes it was involved in prior to the pandemic. And while the NBPA’s relationship with the community remains solid, Vince is committed to bringing about positive change internally, as well.

“I got involved with the association to try to improve the working conditions, camaraderie and morale for all of our members,” he said. “It’s tough when you don’t have a building to socialize, but we’re going to try to host more social events so people can get together. I’m not even sure that people are aware of what the association can do for them. I think we have to make better efforts in telling people what we do and who we are.”

Above left: President Vince Corrente and Inspector Jeff Warner have established a good working relationship between the police association and the command staff. Above: Vince Corrente presents the Police Hero Award to Sgt. Matt Parker.

SWORN MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Answering the Call

Judith Solomon, Peel Police Service

By Lauren Alpern

Peel Police Constable Judith Solomon was just about to bite into her burrito when the call came in that threw her into the spotlight.

It was 2:00 am on February 7, 2022, and the 911 call said there was a stabbing at the Shoppers Drug Mart at Kennedy and Queen in Brampton. With less than two years on the job but without hesitation, the 25-year-old constable went to the call on her own. She found the victim on the floor with a stab wound in her neck, screaming family members all around her and the suspect still in the store.

Judith immediately went to work, remembering her training. She directed a nearby family member to apply pressure to the wound in order to slow the bleeding, evacuated the pharmacy and successfully arrested the culprit. Once backup arrived, she turned over the suspect and returned to administer first aid to the victim. Despite raging nerves on the inside, Judith appeared calm and collected. She kept the victim conscious by talking to her and assured her that she would be okay. These actions helped ensure the victim made a full recovery.

A few months later, Judith was awarded the Axon RISE Officer Award in recognition of her courage and heroism, and the Officer of the Year Award by OWLE Canada. The Nigerian-born constable appreciates the accolades, but doesn’t understand why she has received so many of them for simply doing her job.

“There are so many people who do this every single day, and they don’t get the acknowledgment. I’m really overwhelmed,” said Judith, who moved to Canada with her father when she was six. “I got to help someone, and the fact that she survived a really horrible incident is the best reward I could get.”

But several traumatic calls, including the infamous one, have taken a toll, and the young officer is now on leave to look after her own mental health.

“It’s been a bit of a struggle. I was waking up hourly and having nightmares. We go from call to call without a break, and

sleep or eat. All of this ended up triggering things from the stabbing call and a difficult shooting call,” said Judith. “I want to go back, and will, as soon as I’m feeling better. I was finding myself a little short-tempered and was making little mistakes, and I don’t like that. I didn’t feel like I was doing my job as best I could.”

While on leave, Judith has been getting back to the things

her to start feeling like her normal self again: training her dog; exercising; watching Netflix; cooking; singing and dancing.

“It’s been nice to get out of Brampton to clear my head and do the things that bring me back to the regular me,” said Judith, who says her time playing rugby helped prepare her for the job. “It’s just good to get away from the envi-

ronment and get your mind refreshed.”

With Judith’s work ethic of always giving 120 per cent, it’s no surprise that burnout has been an issue for her.

“Peel has been insane with really bad crime – it’s never ending. Even on your days off, you’re so burnt out. You want to help people, so you’re always working hard, and I’ve found it difficult to put boundaries in place. I constantly have to remind myself that not every call requires 120 per cent, but I like to go above and beyond because I genuinely care if it’s going to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Judith. “When you have issues setting boundaries and you want to help people so much, it’s hard. Still, as stressful as it is, the job is rewarding and there are a lot of good

people out there.”

Judith’s best friend Nadia Alexander, who is also a constable with the Peel Police Service, is proud of her for getting help.

“It’s very difficult to ask for help. Especially being a female and a female minority, you want to show up and be the best you can be,” said Nadia, who went to Ontario Police College with Judith. “When you have a true passion for the job like Judith does, it’s so easy to lose sight of your own health. She recognized that if she continued the way she was going, it would have been detrimental to her career.”

Nadia is also proud of Judith for the way she conducted herself during that early morning call at Shoppers.

Left: Judith and Nadia Alexander with another colleague.

“As a female, small in stature, with just two years on the job – to be able to handle herself the way she did is incredible. She didn’t only represent herself; she represented the limitless potential that every woman has,” said Nadia. “She

can be, in part, the reason why a growing number of women want to wear the uniform.”

Judith, who has always wanted to work with criminals to learn how they tick, says that there are challenges being a female officer.

have to be more aware of the words you use and not be offended by the comments you get,” said Judith. “At the same time, some people just stop me and are so excited because they’re never seen a black female officer before and they’ll start crying. People are really grateful and appreciative of it.”

But Judith doesn’t just want to inspire women to put on the uniform – she wants to inspire

“We need more people who care. I’m always telling people about the good work that we do,” said Judith, who has always wanted to help people. “I want to help change the negative perceptions of police officers, but it’s really hard sometimes because everything you do impacts people’s lives.”

In the meantime, Judith is focusing on herself so she can get back to helping others.

Left: Judith with her niece and nephew. Bottom left: Judith and a family friend. Below: Judith won the Axon RISE Officer Award in recognition of her courage and heroism.

Overcoming Personal Obstacles Leads to Member Advocacy

Tim Morrison, Durham Regional Police Association

By Lauren Alpern

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. That has been the mantra of Civilian Director Tim Morrison of the Durham Regional Police Association (DRPA), who was born with congenital heart defects and has been clinically dead three times in his life.

Tim grew up with a father who was a police officer with the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS). He and his best friend, Jamie Bramma, both dreamt of becoming police officers. Jamie – whose father was also an officer – attained his dream, with over 20 years as a constable with the DRPS. Tim, however, had to come up with a backup plan because of his health condition.

“Due to my health, I knew it wasn’t in the cards for me to be a police officer, so I pursued other avenues. After college, I took a role in the property bureau as a property clerk, and in 2001, I became a station operator in Pickering. I’ve done that job ever since,” said Tim, who is now the Station Operator at 17 Division in Oshawa. “Policing was always part of my life, and I grew up as part of the community. I appreciate the selfless work that these people do on a daily basis. They give up time away from their family. Sadly, much of it is unappreciated, but it’s an honourable profession and I wanted to be part of it.”

Tim loves his role with the DRPS because he never knows who’s going to walk through the door, which keeps him on his toes. He is also involved in numerous committees. In addition to his full-time job and his association work, Tim is also the Chair of the Occupational

Tim values the time he gets to spend with his daughters.

Top and right: Tim and his best friend Jamie Bramma grew up wanting to be police officers. Immediately above: Tim’s father was an officer with the DRPS. Below: Tim also curled at the international level.

Health and Safety Committee and the Chair of the Joint Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Committee (JJEC), and he sits on the Staffing and Postings, Constitutional, Bargaining, Policy and Political/Lobbying Committees. It’s a wonder he finds any time to enjoy the woodworking workshop he made in his garage.

As a lifetime advocate for his own health, the father of two teenage daughters, Ashlyn (17) and Riley (13), felt that getting involved in association work would be a great complement to his role with the service. After an unsuccessful run for the executive in 2007, Tim ran a second time and is now on his fifth consecutive term.

“Because of my health, I’ve always been good at speaking out, and being on the executive has allowed me to be a bit of a mouthpiece. I’ve been able to use my advocacy and be vocal to push the issues

that need to be pushed. And I enjoy that very much,” said Tim, who is also a civilian director on the Canadian Police Association’s board. “Everybody needs that person to be vocal for them, and I enjoy doing that. I believe strongly in being the voice for the profession.”

Tim is the first to say that his outspokenness gets him into trouble sometimes.

“My speaking out is my best and my worst trait. There’s a time and a place, and sometimes I don’t always choose the best time or the best place. I always say to people that I’d rather tell the truth, even if it’s something they don’t want to hear, rather than feed them a line,” said Tim. “It has gotten me in a lot of trouble in my life, but I think it’s also why the people I work with keep re-electing me.”

His wife of 19 years, Lori, knows Tim gets into trouble sometimes, but she says it’s because he’s so passionate

and puts everything into whatever he does.

“He wears all of his emotions on his sleeve. If he’s happy, you know about it; if he’s pissed off, you know about it. There’s no guess work with him,” said Lori, who works with the DRPS as a civilian crime analyst. “He’s feisty and doesn’t give up very easily. He’s definitely got some fight left in him.”

Tim, who was the national advocate for the Heart and Stroke Foundation from 2007 to 2010, has had to fight for everything from recovering

from his dozen heart surgeries, to playing sports and deal ing with the pandemic.

“I was told that if I got Covid, I would die,” said Tim, who only has one lung. “I had to work from home during the pandemic, living in my basement while Lori and the kids lived upstairs. I had to be away from my family for a year and a half because I couldn’t risk getting sick. I couldn’t come out until I had two vaccinations.”

While the family has had to be incredibly vigilant to keep him healthy, Tim has never let

his heath condition define him.

“I always wanted to work and never wanted to live off any social assistance program,” said Tim, who was also an international-level curler. “I wanted to live as normal a life as I could, and I pushed myself to be that way.”

Jamie, who got into association work because of Tim and has been a uniform director with the DRPA since 2012, has known Tim for his entire life and is very proud

of what he has done with his life, including his passion for association issues.

“He’s the perfect example for anybody who has a higher mountain to climb than others: Don’t use it as a crutch; if you fall down seven times, get up eight,” said Jamie. “He’s been knocked down a lot, but he always gets up and continues to fight.”

Tim’s scrappy attitude comes naturally, which is why he’s so valuable to the association’s members.

Tim and Lori have been married for 19 years. Lori works for the DRPS as a civilian crime analyst.

FIVE OFFICER DEATHS IN FIVE WEEKS TAKES ITS TOLL ON MEMBERS

By Lauren Alpern

On September 25, 2022, police personnel gathered in Ottawa for the 45th annual Ca nadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memo rial Service for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The beautiful ceremony hon oured six police officers who were killed between 2019 and 2021: RCMP Constable Alan Poapst; RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson; Ontario Pro vincial Police Constable Marc Hovingh; Calgary Police Sergeant Andrew Harnett; RCMP Constable Shelby Patton; and Toronto Police Constable Jef frey Northrup.

Burying a police officer is never easy, but six across Canada over the course of a three-year period can’t compare to the concentrated tragedy of losing four on-duty and one off-duty officers during a horrific five-week span between September 12 and October 18, 2022: Toronto Police Constable Andrew Hong, 48; York Regional Police Constable Travis Gillespie, 38; South Simcoe Police Constable Devon Northrup, 36;

The death of Cst. Hong, who was known as a gentle giant, shook the policing community and has changed the behaviour of many officers.

As members grieve the losses of Constables Hong, Gillespie, Northrup, Russell and Yang, the PAO is calling for change.

South Simcoe Police Constable Morgan Russell, 54; and Burnaby RCMP Constable Shaelyn Yang, 31. Four of those officers were from Ontario.

Andrew Hong was ambushed and fatally shot at a Mississauga Tim Hortons while on his lunch break on September 12. The 22-year veteran, who was in Peel for training, worked in Traffic Services. His murderer went on a rampage, killing two others, before being taken down in a cemetery in Hamilton by Halton and Hamilton Police.

Just two days later, Constable Travis Gillespie was killed in a head-on collision while driving to work at 6:00 am in Markham. The 23-year-old driver of the other vehicle had minor injuries and was charged with impaired driving, dangerous operation causing death and over 80 milligrams causing death. He has been denied bail. Travis was sworn in as a police constable in April 2020 after working as a Metrolinx/ GO Transit special constable. He was a volunteer with Primal Mixed Martial Arts Academy.

On October 11, Constable Devon Northrup and Constable Morgan Russell responded to a disturbance at a house in Innisfil. A 22-year-old in the house shot them before they could even draw their guns. A third officer engaged in gunfire with the suspect, but both Devon and Morgan died in hospital. Devon was a six-year member of the service and worked with the community mobilization and engagement unit. He also served as a member of the mental health crisis outreach team and the emergency response unit. Morgan, a trained crisis negotiator in the uniform patrol division, was a 33-year veteran of the service and was only waiting until his children finished university before he retired.

Just one week later, on October 18, Constable Shaelyn Yang of the Burnaby RCMP was stabbed to death while accompa-

nying a parks employee to speak with a man living in a tent in Burnaby’s Broadview Park. Yang was a member of the detachment’s mental health and homeless outreach team, just three years into her career. A plane was quickly chartered to Vancouver and over 100 police personnel flew to British Columbia to attend Yang’s regimental funeral on November 2. A 2010 Statistics Canada report shows that between 1961 and 2009, 133 police officers were murdered in the line of duty,

Emily Dietrich of the Guelph Police Service drew Cst. Hong’s motorcycle as a way to honour him.

per year. Between 2010 and 2018, an additional 36 were killed—more than double that rate. Homicides against police officers occurred most often during a robbery investigation, accounting for almost onequarter of all killings. Nine in 10 police officers were shot to death, most of them not wearing a protective vest.

The losses of Constable Hong, Constable Russell, Constable Northrup, Constable Yang and

traumatic for Ontario’s closeknit police community. Not only have they happened in a shockingly short time span, but they have also made the inherent dangers of the job seem that much more real.

“The risk seems to be a lot greater now than when I started in Halton at age 24,” said Halton Police Association President Clay Gillis. “Responding to a robbery call and exchanging gunfire seems very different than going for

These are targeted executions of police officers.”

Clay, who has been a police officer since 2002, knows his wife would be much happier if he hung up his uniform. As a husband and father, he now attends these funerals thinking about the devastation it causes a police family – something he didn’t think of when he was 25. Ultimately, the trauma of these events has deeply affected him and his members.

“Officers used to make a point of going into coffee shops and interacting with

want to use a drive-thru. It has really had a tangible effect on how people feel about being in public spaces. These are low-frequency but super high-impact events that I think will be felt for a long period of time,” said Clay. “This just makes the worstcase scenario feel like it could become a reality for us. And now, people are going to leave at their earliest opportunity, so they can mitigate their risk. That’s a change in mindset.”

Both Halton and Hamilton officers were closely involved

“Officers used to make a point of going into coffee shops and interacting with the public, but now they only want to use a drive-thru.”

in the Andrew Hong incident after his killer fled from Mississauga to Milton and finally to Hamilton, where he was lying in wait at a cemetery to take down more officers.

Hamilton Police Association President Jaimi Bannon said her members were lucky to go home that night.

“It was the skills and abilities of the Halton and Hamilton officers that kept everyone safe and alive that day,” said Jaimi, who has 29 years of service, and has been seconded to the association as full-time president. “He was hunkered down in the cemetery, waiting to kill more officers. Hamilton officers were on alert and just wanted to go home to their families once it was all over. And luckily, they did. When I went to the station that night, some of them were clearly rattled. They

really felt their mortality.”

Jaimi said that her members are having a hard time and the air in the station is noticeably heavy.

“Anxiety is real and everyone is always on guard now,” said Jaimi. “They’re now demanding better body armour and more opportunities to train. I fear for our profession, and I think it’s going to lead people to second guess coming into our profession, which is only going to add to our recruitment problems.”

Jaimi echoed Clay’s sentiment that members who are close to retirement are choosing to retire as soon as possible instead of staying on. Morgan Russell could have retired several years earlier, but chose to continue working.

The murders of Morgan and Devon have been a devastat-

ing loss for the South Simcoe Police Association (SSPA), who only have about 150 members, including 100 sworn. Matt Kernen, SSPA Vice-President, said their small service is still reeling at the loss.

“Most of our members are deeply affected by this,” said Matt, a constable with nine years of service. “We all know each other; we spend time together on our days off. We’re like a family, so a loss

like this is very tragic. They are our family members; they are people we rely upon on a daily basis. We never would have thought something like this would happen in a small community like ours.”

Devon had participated in the Run to Remember less than two weeks earlier in honour of the previous year’s fallen officers. Matt said that he was always involved in events like that. Still, until

The funeral procession for Constables Northrup and Russell saw a lot of support from both officers and the community.

these recent tragedies, not coming home at the end of the day didn’t seem like such a real possibility.

“We’ve always been told of the inherent dangers, and we try to prepare for the worst, but unfortunately, sometimes things are beyond our control,” said Matt. “It’s not just the member who has to put on their uniform every day and go out and do the job. It’s the family members who have to say goodbye and worry about whether they come back at the end of shift.”

The support from the Innisfil community has been overwhelming and constant – a beacon of light during an incredibly difficult time. Matt said that while the town has always

been supportive of the police and community partnerships have really helped the small service do its job so effectively, their support since the incident has been tremendous.

“I don’t even really have the words to describe what it’s been like around here. Since this happened, there has been food constantly showing up at the station – coffees, muffins, letters, flowers, telephone calls. This outpouring from the community in support of us. We’re being flagged down by community members to talk to us so they can offer their sympathies, and many of them are often in tears themselves,” said Matt. “The vibe around the office is tough, though, because members are chal-

lenged by this and it’s going to be really difficult for a lot of members to regain some sense of normalcy.”

Both Jaimi and Matt mentioned that their members have been using resources like Boots on the Ground, Badge of Life Canada and Wounded

Warriors Canada to get some help. Matt was particularly grateful for the support of PAO President Mark Baxter and other PAO members who came out to South Simcoe to lend their support.

Mark is glad members are getting help, but he knows

The support from the South Simcoe community has been overwhelming.

These recent deaths are traumatic, which is only adding to the growing trauma that members of the policing community experience every day.

traumatic, which is only adding to the growing trauma that members of the policing community experience every day.

“It’s making them feel like their safety is more precarious,” said Mark. “In spite of that, they’re professionals, and they’re still leaving their families and going to work for the safety and security of their communities. Their dedication remains unwavering.”

According to Mark, police in Canada respond to 13 million calls every year, and while we still live in a relatively safe society, violent crime is on the rise. Mark and the PAO will be pushing for

the government at all levels to make changes that will actually make a difference.

“Now is time for real leadership, in the federal government and in our police services. We’re in a catch-and-release state where our offenders are routinely

arrested only to be quickly released by the courts,” said Mark. “Actions must have consequences, and now more than ever, we need the federal government to step up with meaningful change, including much-needed bail and parole reform, and much better security of our borders, while providing law enforcement with the tools and resources to do their jobs.”

Mark also believes there’s a mental health issue that needs to be addressed.

“We have people with significant mental health and substance abuse issues in our

communities, and there’s a gap in the support they receive,” said Mark. “It’s a societal issue and we’ve got to figure out how to address that as well. I’m determined to turn this into action.”

The PAO has sent sympathies to all of the associations involved in these tragic deaths. Please remember the importance of taking care of yourself and using resources like Badge of Life Canada, Boots on the Ground and Wounded Warriors Canada. None of us is alone. Thank you to all of you for your service and dedication.

The PAO chartered a flight to Vancouver for Cst. Yang’s funeral.

STRESS OVERLOAD

Police Services in Crisis Mode as Staffing Shortage Hits Hard

By Lauren Alpern

In Peterborough in 2022, showing up for shift means starting 20 to 30 calls behind. In Ottawa, the soughtafter paid duty shifts like CFL games and concerts that used to get filled up in seconds are now being staffed by on-duty officers. In Owen Sound, dispatchers are working up to 70 hours a week.

These are specific examples in three Ontario cities, but choose almost any other city or town and you will find similar examples of how the province’s police services are suffering from a staffing crisis. Police officers are working longer shifts, rushing from call to call only to end their shift with a longer queue than they started with. 911 communicators are frequently unable to leave their desk to even use the facilities or eat, never mind to decompress after a difficult call. When emergency response is under this much strain, there is no operational capacity for things like community policing, outreach or relationship building. And there’s even less time for officers to take care of their own mental health and well-being.

Sworn and civilian members are exhausted both mentally and physically, which is only adding to the crisis.

Peterborough Police Association (PPA) President Jeff Chartier says that of his 220 or so members, including 140 sworn, about 20 are off on WSIB or long-term disability, most of whom come off the frontlines.

A member of the communications team in Thunder Bay.

“With only four platoons, you’re talking about an average of four people from each platoon who are off,” said Jeff, a sergeant with 33 years of service. “That reduces your numbers before you even look at vacation and training. That means we’re starting behind the eight ball every day. Add to that the fact that we’re constantly calling people in to meet our minimums and we’re routinely running 30 calls behind.”

With so many members off, that puts a lot of pressure on working members, who have seen a massive increase in workload between the staff shortage and the increased calls for service. Stress levels are high and it’s harder to get people to come into work.

starting behind the eight ball every day.”

“The continuous lack of staffing has taken a toll on people’s mental health. They use their time off to recharge their batteries and disconnect from work,” said Jeff. “People need more time to de-stress and spend time with family to be able to come back to work the next day. Family, friends and activities – these are important to help people deal with what they’ve had to deal with over the last 48 hours, so they’re ready to come back for the next 48.”

Like all officers across the province, officers in London are doing their best while on shift.

“We’re

Craig Ralph, a staff sergeant with the Peterborough Police Service, is definitely feeling the staffing crunch and has noticed a big change since he started in policing 23 years ago.

“There were certain days of the week, certain times in the early morning hours, when you’d have downtime to conduct investigations and do proactive policing. That has certainly diminished,” said Craig, who works as a Peer Support Coordinator. “Officers are going from call to call now and there’s really no break. Plus, there’s a lot more violent crime and a lot more weapons calls and firearm offenses. That has a toll on officers’ mental health as well.”

Jeff, who has been the president of the PPA since 2014, commends his members giving all they have while they’re on shift, but he recognizes that the tank is emptying and it’s getting harder and harder to refuel with the current staffing conditions.

“They try to do the best they can, but they’re being pulled in so many directions. There’s always another call waiting. It’s stressful and it’s taxing,” said Jeff. “Some officers go without lunches sometimes because of the call volume. Their resiliency to flu and colds goes down, which also impacts the numbers. There’s a major ripple effect. I wish someone could wave a magic wand and get us back to full staffing.”

While no magic wand is forthcoming, police services are doing what they can at a significantly slower pace. The Peterborough Police Services Board has agreed to increase the Service’s staffing over time, but only after an incredible amount

Sgt. Maria Keen of the Ottawa Police Service is back with Ottawa’s recruitment team and says things are very different now than they were when she did the job before.

of work, Jeff said, including a KPMG review on staffing levels that indicated a deficit of 11 officers, yet ignored the vital work of civilian staff.

“With budget commitments and restraints, the board is very conscious of the budget set aside by the primary funders as to how many people they can hire and what they can do to fill the staffing void. It’s pretty much dependent on money and not the community’s protection or need,” said Jeff, who explained that with six currently at OPC with more seats for the January intake, that would make up close to the 11. “Still, we just can’t get ahead of the game because people retire. The PPA was part of a committee, along with the Police Services Board, that was formed to address the current and future needs of the service and we determined that we actually need 49 more employees, the majority of whom are civilian.”

In the meantime, those hires are not coming as easily as they used to. In Peterborough and in other Ontario cities, the applications are not as plentiful, nor are enough applicants qualified. Jeff said that Peterborough is no longer seeing the same number of experienced officers looking to come back home or move to a smaller city that they used to.

In Ottawa, Sergeant Maria Keen has been heavily involved in the Ottawa Police Service (OPS)’s recruitment efforts. Working as an outreach constable from 2005 to 2007 and then on the outreach recruiting team from 2018 to 2021, Maria was asked to come back on temporary assignment in May of 2022

because of the push on hiring.

“It’s a running joke that I’ve probably hired three-quarters of the Ottawa Police Service,” said Maria, who was one of the first racialized women to work in recruiting when she first started.

Now, with 30 years of experience under her belt and hearing all of the negative rhetoric about policing, Maria was a bit reluctant to try her hand at recruiting again. While the applications in Ottawa are coming, mainly thanks to plenty of proactiveness and some creative social media work, it’s definitely not the same as it was when Maria first tried her hand at it almost 20 years ago.

“Nowadays, people aren’t coming banging on our front door. Gone are the days where we sit back and just accept applications. That’s why the OPS created an outreach team. We’re competing with other agencies including the government,” said Maria, who has also noticed another new challenge. “This generation will pack up and leave jobs or cities, and we have to adjust to that. We can’t be particular with candidates and think that this is a 30-year job for them. The sooner we wrap our heads around that and accept it, the better it is.”

As for Maria, when she returned to patrol in 2021 after working in recruitment for three years, she noticed how burnt out her platoon was because of the staffing crisis. She soon started to feel that burnout herself. Still, when she was asked to return to the outreach team, it wasn’t an easy decision.

“When they asked me to come back to recruiting, it was a

and civilian members across the province are exhausted, both physically and mentally.

really hard decision, because I knew I’d leave my platoon with another person short,” said Maria. “My team told me to go because they knew we needed more people.”

Interim Ottawa Police Association (OPA) President Brian Samuel, who has been on the OPA’s Board of Directors since 2010, said that the board has warned the Police Service Board and every chief since 2011 of a looming staffing crisis, but the warnings fell on deaf ears. Now, with attrition and members off on leave, Brian says he believes hiring 300 officers would correct the problem, but that’s not in the cards.

“The Service’s strategy calls for 80 hires a year. This is 80 hires a year on top of attrition, which averages roughly 50 per year through retirement and resignations. This translates into a total of 130 hires every year. We don’t have the staffing

at our training centre to train 130 people, nor do we have the staffing in our recruiting section to do what is required to thoroughly process potential recruits. This year alone, we’ve had a record number of resignations along with retirements. We’ve probably lost 80 that way. We had no new hires in 2019 and 2020 – the numbers just don’t add up. Our cop-to-pop ratio is the lowest per capita in the country,” said Brian, a staff sergeant with 29 years of service. “Ottawa has an allotment of 24 seats at OPC in each of the three classes every year. Based on our maximum available seats, that puts us at 72. We’re promising 80 plus. OPS will have to rely on asking other police services for seats.”

Since Ottawa amalgamated with Nepean, the city has increased in population by 350,000, yet the Service still hasn’t increased in number. Like Jeff in Peterborough, Brian says his 1,957 members, 1,400 of whom are sworn, are exhausted, both physically and mentally.

“They feel there’s not much more they can give, which has resulted in an atmosphere where you go to work, do your job and go home. It’s affecting morale in a huge way. Officers are always coming forward and saying that. It’s just take, take, take and push, push, push,” said Brian. “The service continues to push them beyond what they’re capable of doing. If you continue to push, there’s going to be a breaking point. The ones who remain on the road are the ones who suffer.”

Sworn

“Nowadays, people aren’t coming banging on our front door. Gone are the days where we sit back and just accept applications.”

Many uniform and civilian staff do not have time to take a lunch or restroom break.

And it’s not just the sworn members who are suffering. The OPS’s communications section is in crisis mode right now.

“Our communications centre is in trouble. When you start having people resign, retire and leave, and you don’t replace them, you start putting actors in place and you end up with people who aren’t always in their full-time position,” said Brian. “We’re pushing for the Service to hire, and they say they’re trying, but we haven’t seen it yet. It’s a difficult job and it’s not for everybody. You can’t just walk in, put on a headset and understand how to deal with the public. There’s training, which is a process as well.”

Amy Byers, Vice President of the Owen Sound Police Association and 911 communicator for the past 17 years, understands the burnout. The Owen Sound communications team has been short-staffed for almost three years. Filling the vacancies has proven difficult.

“It seems like we’re always in reactive mode. We’re trying to fill the vacancies, but that’s taking away time. “We used to be more proactive to get ahead of the game,” said Amy. “It doesn’t feel like we’ve gotten to the point where we can just take a breath.”

While Amy and her team work to ensure that emergency calls don’t get put on hold – they are prioritized as they have always been – there might be a longer response time for calls. As a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), they are respon-

sible for transferring calls for ambulance, fire or police that aren’t for them. And due to the staffing shortage around the province and even across the nation, the calls are in a longer queue. They are not allowed to disconnect those calls until they are answered and there’s voice-to-voice contact.

When Amy first started the job in 2005, the communications centre answered the phone for two police departments and seven fire stations. Now, they dispatch for six police departments, 44 fire stations and all of the after-hours calls for Grey County Transportations. The number of staff has not increased accordingly.

“We used to be able to go an entire night where the phone would only ring a couple of times,” said Amy. “Now it rings a couple of times a minute throughout the night.”

Everyone is tired. There are serious mental and physical repercussions to members if this continues. And there are also the consequences to Ontario communities.

As Jeff said, “You’re going to end up with communities with very poor policing practices as far as response times,” he said. “Less officers on the street means an increase in violent crime and drug activity. Everything is going to increase as the officer levels decrease.”

FIND YOUR CALLING”

How a fall from grace led a York Regional Police Officer to start a resiliency support group for accommodated members

By Lauren Alpern

Ryan Harrison of the York Regional Police Service comes from a police family, and he wanted to become a police officer to make his father proud. But years of brushing traumatic work experiences under the rug started taking a toll, and the 20-year veteran began having night terrors. It got so bad that he couldn’t sleep, was unable to concentrate, was short with his kids, never took the same route to work and would check the locks on his doors a million times at night.

“Imagine going to bed and waking up to the scariest thing that you could ever imagine happening to you – and reliving that night after night after night,” said Ryan. “It was intense, it was frustrating, and it was tiring.”

That’s when the substance abuse started. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before it took over Ryan’s life.

“It’s what I thought I needed to do to deal with this, and it was the only way I could get by,” said Ryan, who worked covert operations in the drug enforcement and guns and gangs units. “When you work in an undercover capacity, your adrenaline is so high, you expect it to come down. But I was scared all the time – scared for my family and scared of that lifestyle. It was one of those things that, as a police officer, you never want to admit. I always thought the worst. So, my anxiety always stayed high.”

For Ryan, the anxiety of working under cover never went away.

“SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THE MUD BEFORE YOU

Top left: This is a picture of Ryan when he first got access to his phone after a month of being admitted into rehab. He thanks Bellwood Health Services for giving him the tools regain to control of his life. According to Ryan, his mother was happy to see a smile on his face when he texted her this picture. Top right: Ryan’s kids motivate him to be the best version of himself every day.

His night terrors got worse. It got to the point where Ryan would drink and take drugs in hope that perhaps he wouldn’t wake up the next morning. Only the thought of his kids, 7-yearold London and 9-year-old Lochlan, kept him holding on. Still, he was constantly driving while under the influence and on July 7, 2019, Ryan was arrested for impaired driving.

That day was both Ryan’s rock bottom and the day that saved his life.

The next morning, after sitting down with his York Regional Police Association Representative, Ryan decided to check himself into the in-patient program at Bellwood Health Services.

“The cat was out of the bag, and I broke down,” said Ryan, who was at Bellwood for two and a half months. “It was almost

like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”

While in rehab, Ryan was diagnosed with extreme complex work-related PTSD, anxiety and depression. Out in September of 2019, Ryan returned to work in December 2020. The road back to work wasn’t an easy one; he wasn’t sure he would ever return.

“I tried my best, going through that time, to think of myself and my own personal well-being before I worried about the work road,” said Ryan, who is learning to live with his PTSD. “The night terrors don’t stop, but the more self-care I put into myself as I recover, like seeing a psychologist, the more it does wonders. Doing things like exposure therapy, working through your trauma and having somebody validate you, make the night terrors happen less and less.”

Back-to-work for Ryan now looks very different than the undercover guns and gangs police officer he once was. No longer cleared to carry a weapon and now working full-time for the Peer Support Unit, Ryan has spent a lot of time processing just who this version of himself is.

“What has come with this is a lot of time analyzing myself, self-identification, acceptance and being able to change the framework of thinking for the last 18 years,” said Ryan. “It’s

been a lot of work to understand my value and worth as a human being and my worth as a police officer, instead of identifying myself by the work I did.”

Inspector Dave MacDonald got to know Ryan well while working in Professional Standards after he was charged. In the fall of 2021, the pair started working together on a project about working with restrictions. It was a perfect fit for Ryan, who was grappling with his own accommodated role. Ryan and Dave worked alongside others to create an Internal Support Network for Working with Restrictions, and from that, Ryan’s idea of a Resiliency Support Group for Accommodated Members was born.

“I knew from the first two meetings we had that there’s a lot of information sharing by members who are in accommodated positions, and it hit me very hard because I had been through some of those things,” said Ryan. “We want to bring people together and validate feelings without it being a venting session, and we want to give people the space and the position to explain how they feel.”

The group meets at a church in Aurora once a month, with approximately 10 members meeting at a time. Ryan uses his experience with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to shape the meetings. As the facilitator, Ryan comes up with pre-determined topics for each meeting that

Ryan and Dave MacDonald (wearing the suit), with the team who put together the Internal Support Network for Working with Restrictions.

have included acceptance, identification, how you view yourself, how others view you, what stage you’re at, and coming to terms with being unable to carry a firearm.

“It’s really about developing these bonds and having these people coming together. We all know what it’s like to be a police officer but then have that taken away from you, preventing you from doing what you signed up to do. How do we change that framework? How does Ryan Harrison come to work every day and be happy with himself?,” said Ryan. “Everybody knew my look and style, but did they really know what I was about? At the end of the day, they knew me for all the wrong reasons. After I realized this and I’m okay with it and can be vulnerable about it, I’ve never felt more like myself, since I was 20 years old when I started. I played a part for the last 18 years.”

in policing. He lays bare all of it and comes to relationships and meetings with the expectations that he’s going to share everything with the intention of making a positive impact on people,” said Dave, who believes that Ryan has found his place. “Ryan really emulates the ability to make a positive impact on people and be authentic in a way that encourages others to do the same. He’s doing that and helping people heal in a safe and open and confidential environment.”

Dave has nothing but respect for Ryan, despite his difficulties. He calls him engaging, positive and authentic.

While Dave doesn’t know what is discussed in the confidential Resiliency Support Group for Accommodated Members meetings, he has heard about the positive impact the meetings are making on people’s wellness. And he gives all of the credit to Ryan.

“I think one of Ryan’s great gifts is his ability and desire to share and be raw and vulnerable in a way that is atypical

“I knew him when he was down, and his whole demeanor, his whole view on life, have changed. His ability to have meaningful relationships both in and outside of work has improved immeasurably. I really respect the guy,” said Dave, who, with 22 years of service, is currently working in Court Operations and Administration. “It’s very, very difficult, especially where you’re considered to be a highly trained and high-achieving person in the organization, to have a ‘fall from grace’ and then come from that and make such a positive impact in a completely different way. It’s just remarkable.”

Ryan’s family always provided him the inspiration and support to help him cope.

Joe Styles, beside Ryan, with his arms crossed. According to Ryan, Joe is a true innovator of openness and transparency in policing and a true testament to how emotional intelligence is directly related to being a successful supervisor. Joe is assisting Ryan in facilitating and implementing the first-ever men’s group within the YRP with the objective of transforming the culture in the way men deal with life work and relationships.

Detective Joe Styles has known Ryan for over 15 years and is also incredibly impressed by how he has harnessed his personal difficulties to push for change.

“I see a level of urgency in him, and I recognize it because I had it myself,” said Joe, who, with 15 years of service, has had his own struggles with wellness. “Once you round that corner to a better way of thinking and doing the job, you want that for everyone else because you see it’s attainable. I see that urgency in Ryan now. He has joined the cause, the push, to continue the change in policing culture.”

One of the things that Joe believes will be extremely valuable for the continued success of the Resiliency Support Group is that Ryan is very well respected and credible amongst his York

who have credibility amongst police officers to speak,” said Joe. “I think where Ryan is really beneficial is that he comes with that established credibility. You have somebody who is looked up to who is now using that platform and that position to help others. I love that.”

Much like Dave, Joe has seen Ryan climb up from the bottom and knows that when he sets his mind to something, he can accomplish anything.

“I’ve seen two different versions of Ryan and I admire both. He’s the last of the old-school police officers. And the silver lining of him hitting rock bottom is that he has adopted the new-school mindset – taking care of yourself, taking care of each other, allowing yourself to be vulnerable and acknowledging the inherent difficulties of the job that exist,” said Joe. “We used to just pretend that everything was fine and we could just do it. I say all the time that the perfect police officer is one with the old-school work ethic and the new-school mindset. I think he embodies that so well. He’s a police officer, and unfortunately, we tend to identify with one so much that it becomes part of our personality, which isn’t the best way to live. He’s a police officer through and through, but he’s also a human being worthy of care and he wants to share that with others now.”

As for Ryan, he has finally found his passion at work – one that allows him to be true to himself.

“Some people find their calling early and they love what they do. I liked being part of a team and being one of the boys, but now, I realize that I was the one who made myself who I am. And I’m glad I figured that out. It’s going to give me career

longevity. I’m happy to be able to pass this knowledge on,” said Ryan. “I never really had a passion for anything in this job. Sometimes you find it early or sometimes you have to walk through the mud before you find your calling, which is what happened with me.”

While Ryan still works through his own personal issues, he has remained sober since the night of the incident. He has taken full responsibility for his actions and decisions, and is learning how to deal with the trauma he lives with.

“There are days when it’s still hard to get out of bed and there are nights when I still have night terrors,” said Ryan. “It’s learning how to get out of that hypo state when you go through it, and not being overwhelmed and anxious when you do have an episode.”

Ultimately, Ryan is thankful for the path his life has taken.

“My life isn’t over. I owe it to myself and my family to be the best version of myself every day. I’ve never been a better father and partner,” said Ryan. “I know that I will always have PTSD, but one of the quotes that has stuck with me is: ‘Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s that little voice inside your head that says I’m going to try again tomorrow’.”

If you are interested in forming a Resiliency Support Group for Accommodated Members at your service or association, please contact Ryan. He will be happy to coordinate a visit to meet with a member of your health and wellness team or Peer Support Unit to discuss how you can start your own group. Please reach out to Ryan at 1435@YRP.CA

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE PAO

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BEYOND THE BADGE

In these pages, we recognize the numerous achievements and accolades of our members. We realize that many will be missed, but we can only include what we have been told or what we have found. If you would like to share something commendable in The Dispatch, please send it to communications@pao.ca for publication in the next issue. And, of course, congratulations to all of you.

RETIREMENTS

After 30 years of being the calm, reassuring voice on the other end of the phone, Janet Anstice is hanging up her headset. Thank you for 30 years of devoted service to the Chatham-Kent Police Service and the citizens of Chatham-Kent. Enjoy your much-deserved retirement.

North Bay

Congratulations to Special Constable June Degagné who proudly served with the North Bay Police for 30 years. Enjoy your retirement!

after 30 years of service with tion. Happy retirement, Anne!

Anne Beaulieu

Janet Anstice

June Degagné

RETIREMENTS (CONT.)

across many departments. We wish Steve all the best in whatever he does next.

MILESTONES

celebrated her 30 anniversary with the Gananoque Police Service on September 25.

OPP

James Bay OPP A/Insp. D. Lalonde recognized Admin

and community.

Congratulations to Civilian Member Lori Skerkowski 30 years of service with the OPP. Renfrew OPP Inspector

Tactical Unit and the GSPS Training Branch. Thank you for your years of service and we wish you all the best in your retirement.

York

Happy retirement to InformaLinda , an incredible example of

Service’s Police Community year with the GSPS, an outstanding achievement! Thank you for your dedicated

Steve Miron

Todd Gascon

Dave Duffy

Denyse Chouinard

Lori Skerkowski

Rhonda Allison

Linda Kiely

AWARDS AND MEDALS

Cst. Steve Long’s recognized community service with Halton Regional Police and Aylmer Police Service has earned him a distinguished 20-year Exemplary Service Medal. Congratulations, Steve.

Guelph

PAO board member Matt Jotham, current treasurer and past president of the Guelph Police Association, was presented with the Guelph Police Service Member of the Year Award in early October. Congratulations on this incredible honour.

Halton

Cst. Olga Kripak and Cst. David Rivers were named corecipients of the 2022 MADD Halton Region Officer of the Year Award. Both officers were honoured by MADD at HRPS Headquarters on October 19, 2022. The annual award is part of an initiative undertaken by MADD Halton Region to recognize officers for their commitment and contributions to the prevention, apprehension and prosecution of impaired drivers. Congratulations!

At the end of August, Collingwood OPP Sergeant Dave Brown was presented with his exemplary service medal in recognition of 20 years of dedication to the OPP and serving the citizens of Ontario, by Inspector Loris Licharson and Staff Sergeant Chris Maecker. Congratula tions Sarge!

Peel

Congratulations to Cst. Kelly Mariani of Peel Regional

Olga Kripak and David Rivers

Dave Brown

Kelly Mariani

Matt Jotham

Steve Long

PROMOTIONS

OPP

Oxford OPP has some new sergeants in the ranks. Congratulations to Sgt. Potter and Sgt. Smith on your promotions.

Congratulations to Patrick Chatelain on his promotion to the rank of Sergeant, Regional Coordinator, Front Line Support Unit.

Congratulations to Dufferin OPP Sergeant Steven Roy on his recent promotion to Sergeant. All the best in your new role.

South Simcoe

Congratulations to Adam Walther on his promotion to the rank of Sergeant. Chief Fletcher presented Adam with his new badge and stripes on September 23.

Smith

Darren Charbonneau

Steven Roy

Adam Walther

Potter

Patrick Chatelain

Ryan Wright

DEATHS

Peel

Cst. Michelle Marlborough, 48, of the Peel Regional Police, passed away on September 16 after a long illness. Michellle had been with the service since 2004. Donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Peterborough

Cst. John MacLeod, 51, of the Peterborough Police Service, passed away on August 29 while on vacation with his family in Halifax. The community policing officer was well known in his community and in 2016 was named one of Peterborough’s most influential people by Peterborough This Week. Cst. MacLeod was with the service for over two decades. Donations may be made to the Peterborough

South Simcoe

Cst. Devon Northrup, 33, of the South Simcoe Police Service, was murdered while responding to a home disturbance call in Innisfil with Cst. Morgan Russell, who was also killed. The 22-year-old shooter was waiting for the officers and ambushed them. Neither drew their gun. Cst. Northrup had six years of service and was well-known in the community. All members of the South Simcoe Police Association are in mourning, along with his friends, family and the entire community.

Cst. Morgan Russell, 54, was killed in the same tragic incident as Cst. Northrup. The 33-year veteran leaves behind a wife and two children in university. He was planning to retire when they graduated. Cst. Russell was also well-known and loved by the community he served, and we send our condolences to his friends, family and colleagues.

our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues at the TPS and the TPA.

York Region

Toronto

Cst. Andrew Hong, 48, of the Toronto Police Service, was murdered while on duty on September 12. He was in Mis sissauga for training exercises and stopped at Tim Horton’s for coffee when he was ambushed and shot at close range. His shooter then went on to Milton, where he killed two more people and injured several others. Cst. Hong was a 22-year veteran and known as the “gentle giant.” We send

Cst. Travis Gillespie , 38, of the York Regional Police, was tragically killed in a head-on collision on his way to work on September 14. Cst. Gillespie started his career with the YRP in 2019 and was sworn in as a constable in 2020. He was currently in the selection process with the Emergency Response Unit. Our thoughts, support and condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues at the YRPA and the YRP. To honour Gillespie, his family has set up the Travis Robert Gillespie Martial Arts Scholarship Fund. Each year, a child will be awarded a scholarship in his memory. RIP, Travis.

Morgan Russell

Travis Gillespie

Devon Northrup

John MacLeod

Michelle Marlborough

CHARITY INITIATIVES

Niagara Region Braces for Random Acts of Holiday Kindness

For the past five years, the Niagara Region Police Association (NRPA) has partnered with Move 105.7 FM in the Random Acts of Holiday Kindness Program. In conjunction with the popular radio station, members of the association randomly stop citizens from the community and give them gas or grocery cards.

The program makes a positive difference in the lives of deserving community members and garners much media and social media attention. The highprofile program highlights the ongoing efforts NRPA members make to give back to the communities in which they serve and provides the Association with an economical way to enhance its corporate profile.

NRPA’s Random Acts of Holiday Kindness Program runs from the beginning of November until Christmas, at which point the Association and Move 105.7 select five grand prize winners from submitted nominations, each of whom receive a muchneeded Christmas surprise.

“It’s so humbling and wonderful to see the faces of the people we surprise,” said Janet Farmer, NRPA Executive Assistant and Social Media Administrator. “We recently had a lady cry because we gave her a gas card and she needed it so bad; it was such a great feeling to help her.”

Many other associations across the province run similar programs with great success.

NRPA staff love the Random Acts of Holiday Kindness Program, when they get to give random community members gifts like gas cards.