REPORT

RAPPORT

 

 

DATE:

 

14 May 2008

TO:

 

Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board

FROM:

 

Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service

SUBJECT:

LETTERS OF COMMENDATION (SINCE THE MARCH 2008 BOARD MEETING)

___________________________________________________________________________________

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

Attached for the information of the Board are excerpts from letters of appreciation / thanks received from the public, since the last regular Board meeting, for services rendered by members of the Ottawa Police Service.

 

 

Vern White

Chief of Police

 

Attach. (1)

LETTERS OF COMMENDATION

SINCE MARCH 2008 BOARD MEETING

 

 

Date Received: 26 February 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Ottawa Police Service

Excerpts from Letter:

My husband and I wanted to send a note to comment on the exceptional organization of vehicle and pedestrian traffic that is now in place at Scotiabank Place.  We are regular hockey goers, and have commented on numerous occasions this season how well the flow of traffic is managed, and have really taken notice of what both an increased Police presence, and a much better strategy for traffic direction.  Thanks to the Ottawa Police, especially the Officers who have to stand out in the bitter cold through a lot of the season in order to make this happen!

 

Date Received: 12 March 2008

From: Mike Wlotzki, Executive Director, Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario

OPS Members: Cst. Cameron Graham, Carrie-Ann Taylor

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Constable Cameron Graham for supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern Ontario.  He has been a great help to one of our board Members, Nicky lannucci, Director of Wish Granting.  In addition to providing us with a contact name within the Ottawa Police he has also always been more than happy to print and post any bulletins we have had about our events.  Because of his help we have been able to spread the word within the Ottawa Police about our St. Valentine's Day Hair Massacre 1 & 2, which were both a big success!  One of your civilian members, Carrie-Ann Taylor, has collected pledges and had her head shaved two years running.  At Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario we create hope and happiness for children with life-threatening illnesses by granting their wish.  Constable Cameron Graham has helped share the power of many wishes.

 

Date Received: 12 March 2008

From: Chris FitzGibbon, Beaver Leader, Colony A, 3rd Kanata Scouts

OPS Member: Cst. Ian Matyas

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to bring your attention to an outstanding member of the Ottawa Police Service.  On February 25, 2008, Cst. Ian Matyas visited our group of 20 young members of the 3rd Kanata Beaver Colony (A).  On his own time, Cst. Matyas spoke to our group about policing, safety and helping others.  He answered dozens (and dozens!) of questions from our eager group of curious 5 to 7 year olds.  Cst. Matyas captivated their attention for more than an hour!  For many of our diverse group of Beavers, this was their first time meeting an officer.  "Cst. Ian" became their friend and a role model. He built their trust.  And, there are now about twenty more young boys and girls who want to be police officers when they are older!  Cst. Matyas was the only respondent to our general request for a guest speaker.  He sacrificed one of his evenings for us.  And, he left an impression about police officers with this group of Beavers that will last a lifetime.  The Ottawa Police Service is fortunate to have Cst. Matyas among its members.

 

Date Received: 12 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Kevin Mason

Excerpts from Letter:

Please note my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Kevin Mason, Manager, Problem Crime Analysis Unit.  He was able to answer my inquiry, for which I am most thankful.  Please note my appreciation of your continuing dialogue and authentic communication with me as a Citizen suffering harm.  Dialogue and authentic communication are both features integral to a truly functioning political democracy that respects civil rights and liberties.

 

Date Received: 14 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Jennifer Biondi

Excerpts from Letter:

In an attempt to counteract all of the negative comments that people divulge on a daily basis, I would like to address a very pleasant experience.  On Wednesday, March 12th at approximately 5:30 pm, two members of the Ottawa Police Service (a man and a woman), came to my house to answer a call that I had placed only 10 minutes prior.  My car had been hit and there was minor damage to the rear.  They were helpful and professional, and provided sound advice on the situation (they were also so kind to my dog).  I just wanted to acknowledge their expedience and courtesy.

 

Date Received: 14 March 2008

From: Leigh Jones, Regional Loss Prevention Manager, Shoppers Drug Mart

OPS Member: Sgt. Gary Cashman

Excerpts from Letter:

Thank you to Sgt. Gary Cashman and the officers who participated in the arrest of a person who was featured on Crime Stoppers recently.  I am the Regional Loss Prevention Manager for Shoppers Drug Mart in Eastern Ontario and I have been tracking the activities of a professional shoplifter who has been responsible for tens of thousands of dollars of fragrance theft in a number of my stores.  I contacted the police department about the activities and Sgt. Cashman took on the case of tracking down the suspect.  I have spent many a day and night conducting long surveillance to try and apprehend this suspect and the staff at Shoppers Drug Mart were becoming extremely annoyed with the amount of theft being conducted by this individual in their stores.  Many people had their eyes open for the suspect and the help of Sgt. Cashman and Crime Stoppers helped put our staff at ease in the stores.

 

Date Received: 16 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Mike Lemieux

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to comment on the admirable work of the OPS with whom I’ve come in contact over the past year, and to specifically bring to your attention one member, Officer Mike Lemieux.  In March 2007, my 10 year-old nephew came to live with me as I was in the process of adopting him.  He has many problems that we’re working to overcome with the help of the Children’s Aid Society (CAS), Crossroads Children’s Services, and his doctors.  During his 9 months with me, his behaviour was sometimes out of control, including damaging my property and being physically aggressive, and I had called 911 a few times.  With the exception of one officer, I found the police members who answered my calls to be helpful, respectful and generally understanding of our situation when I explained it to them.  They spoke with me and took time to talk to my nephew about his behaviour, choices and consequences.  They always helped me to get the situation under control, on one occasion taking my nephew to CHEO at the request of the CAS councillor who was in my home at the time.  On December 13, 2007, he was once again behaving aggressively and I was advised by the CAS to call 911 again, which I did from my neighbour’s house.  The 911 operator was excellent, trying to calm me down while waiting for the police to arrive – I was especially distraught over my nephew being alone in the house, as he’d recently talked of killing himself.  Two officers arrived and entered the house.  Officer Lemieux went upstairs to talk to my nephew, while the other officer spoke with me.  The CAS was meanwhile trying to find an emergency foster placement.  When they did, they asked that the police escort him to the foster home.  I knew that they were very busy, as the officer with whom I’d spoken told me they had to come from another area to cover the call.  This officer left and Officer Lemieux stayed.  I had a chance to listen to part of his conversation with my nephew – he was very firm but respectful as he discussed the seriousness of situation with him.  I was very distressed and emotional while trying to get my nephew ready to go.  Officer Lemieux told me that I could take my time and actually suggested that I stop and take a much-needed breath!  While we packed my nephew’s bag, he told us that he had been a foster parent for a few years, with as many as five teenage boys in his home at once.  This certainly explained a lot.  When I was saying goodbye to my nephew, I said that I might finish some shelves that we were building in his room.  Officer Lemieux suggested instead that I take some time for myself over the next couple of days while my nephew was away.  I was surprised at this but very thankful for his thoughtfulness. What I want to commend Officer Lemieux for is his patience, calm and professional demeanour, and respectfulness.  I especially appreciated his understanding, empathy and concern for both of us in a situation where I often experience negative and judgmental reactions from people.  I am very impressed overall with the social work skills of your staff and in particular, those of Officer Mike Lemieux.

 

Date Received: 18 March 2008

From: Chief Anthony Di Monte, Ottawa Paramedic Service

OPS Members: Cst. Sonya Cesare, Cst. Henry Matamoros, Cst. Isabelle Cyr, Cst. Marilyn Warren

Excerpts from Letter:

On behalf of the Ottawa Paramedic Service, I wish to commend several of your officers who assisted with an emergency call in December 2007.  The Ottawa Paramedic Service received a call at approximately 10 p.m. on Sunday, December 30,2007 at a residence on Ledbury Avenue.  First to arrive on scene were four Ottawa Police Service constables who quickly and efficiently began CPR and applied the automated external defibrillator.  Our Paramedic Team Leader who arrived on scene noted the tremendous assistance that these officers provided to our Paramedics on scene.  Could you please ensure that Constables Cesare, Matamoros, Cyr and Warren are made aware of our appreciation for their remarkable work in providing care during this life-threatening situation.  Once again please convey my deepest appreciation for the efforts of your officers on that day.

 

Date Received: 18 March 2008

From: Louise Logue, Ottawa Police Service

OPS Member: S/Sgt. Kal Ghadban

Excerpts from Letter:

I wanted to formally write to express my sincere appreciation for S/Sgt. Kal Ghadban.  During my secondment with the RCMP, S/Sgt. Ghadban has without any hesitation, agreed to facilitate numerous drugs prevention lectures for a variety of community groups who request such lectures.  I am accustomed to doing at least two of these sessions in the community each week-- the need for these lectures is high, and one section or person alone could not ever deliver on these requests during regular work hours.  I have had the privilege of facilitating a number of these sessions in the past with S/Sgt. Ghadban, and have always been impressed with his willingness to facilitate these sessions even to very small groups, which in our opinion is as important as facilitating the larger, better attended sessions!

 

Date Received: 19 March 2008

From: Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer, National Capital Commission

OPS Members: Ottawa Police Service

Excerpts from Letter:

On behalf of the National Capital Commission (NCC), we would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks for supporting the 30th edition of Winterlude - Canada's winter celebration.  I am pleased to report that this year's Winterlude was a resounding success.  Over the course of three wonderful weekends, more than 600,000 participants took part in activities held at our various sites.  It is thanks to your support that we were able to offer such a wide variety of uniquely Canadian experiences in the heart of the nation's capital.  There is no question that Winterlude as we know it and enjoy it simply would not exist without our many public and private partners, and we are truly grateful for your ongoing collaboration.

 

Date Received: 19 March 2008

From: Insp. Susan A. Evans, Executive Development Program Manager, Police Executive Centre, Canadian Police College

OPS Member: Insp. Terry Cheslock

Excerpts from Letter:

The first phase of the Executive Development in Policing Program has just been completed and it was a very successful session.  This was due in large part to the involvement of knowledgeable and skilled members of the policing community.  Without your support, we would not be able to maintain our high calibre of training standards.  It was a pleasure working with Inspector Cheslock during EDP Session 5 on February 8th.  His professionalism and dedication to our team was invaluable with respect to the development and delivery of the component addressing risk management.  Inspector Cheslock received positive feedback on his involvement with the program.

 

Date Received: 25 March 2008

From: Hy Shelow, Officer-in-Charge, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

OPS Members: S/Sgt. Dave Thomas, Sgt. Patrick Frost

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing to commend the Officers who accompanied the group of approximately 600 Tibetan protesters to our premises on 20 March 2008.  Observing them it was clear that they were doing their job with respect and professionalism.  In particular I wish to commend two individuals, Sergeant Patrick Frost of the Emergency Operations Unit and Staff Sergeant Dave Thomas of the Special Events Unit, who along with Sergeant Ghislain Poitras of the RCMP, were directly engaged in liaison with UNHCR.

 

Date Received: 26 March 2008

From: Sarah Khan, Volunteer Coordinator, MADD Ottawa

OPS Members: Sgt. Pat Frost, A/Sgt. Rob Stocki, Cst. Stephen Carroll

Excerpts from Letter:

We at Mothers Against Drunk Driving Ottawa Chapter would like to thank you for the assistance of your officers during the St. Patrick's Parade on Saturday, March 15, 2008.  We really appreciate that your team arranged the RIDE van for us and incorporated MADD into the parade. The efforts of Sgt. Pat Frost, Sgt. Rob Stocki and Cst. Stephen Carroll deserve appreciation.  They helped to welcome our volunteers and to promote our message.  Thank you for your commitment to our mission to stop impaired driving and to support victims of this violent crime.

 

Date Received: 26 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Scott Virtue

Excerpts from Letter:

I had the opportunity to meet with Cst. Scott Virtue on March 25th regarding some threats my daughter received via MSN Messenger.   I just wanted to say that Cst. Virtue was very professional and informative and that I really appreciated his time and the way he dealt with this matter.

 

Date Received: 26 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Sgt. Mark Barclay

Excerpts from Letter:

I am a retired Ottawa Firefighter, and have worked closely with members of the Police Services many times over the course of my career.  I have always been impressed with the professionalism and dedication shown by all, in sometimes very stressful situations.  Last night, I had a first-hand experience as a member of the public, and not in a professional capacity.  My daughter called me around midnight, having struck a pothole causing a flat tire.  She was broken down on Riverside Drive at the Queensway overpass.  Since I live a good thirty minutes away, I hurried to assist her, not happy with the thought of her helpless at the side of the road.  Upon arrival, I was happy to find a member of your Department pulled over with his flashing lights on, making sure she was okay.  Not only did he stay with us the entire time it took to change the tire, he offered encouragement and advice in a helpful and friendly manner, even going so far as to assist with the tire change!   His infectious good humour and pleasant demeanour went a long way to making a stressful situation almost pleasant!  He was most definitely a credit to your department.  Unfortunately, during all the fuss, I neglected to get his name, but I think he was a Sergeant, possibly, through a glimpse of his nametag, named Barclay.  Thank you for your help and support.

 

Date Received: 26 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. David Leshien, Cst. Francois Perron, Cst. Dale Hayes

Excerpts from Letter:

My wife was involved in a 4-car collision in Orleans on March 17th.  Dave Leshien and Frank Perron were the first officers on the scene.  My wife and I would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere gratitude and recognize these men who displayed professionalism and offered reassurance to my wife during her ordeal.  They also stayed at the hospital until I attended which showed a lot of compassion.  I would also like to thank officer Dale Hayes who contacted me by cellular phone shortly after the accident and announced this misfortune in a sincere and reassuring way that helped me remain calm during this unfortunate incident.  As usual the representatives of the Ottawa Police exhibited the characteristics of an efficient and competent police agency.  Please accept our since gratitude.

 

Date Received: 26 March 2008

From: Rick Larabie, Fire Chief, Ottawa Fire Services

OPS Members: Insp. Al Tario, S/Sgt. Rick Lavigne, S/Sgt Mel Robertson, Cst. Matt Clarke, Cst. Peter McKenna, Cst. Kevin McKale, Cst. Craig Roberts

Excerpts from Letter:

The deaths of our active firefighters are happening far too frequently.  On Sunday, February 17, 2008, we laid to rest yet another.  Active Lt. Alex MacDonald succumbed to the dreaded cancer scourge that is taking its toll on our Firefighters.  Although Lt. MacDonald's cancer has not been recognized at this time as being compensable (LODD), the respect and admiration that his peers and community had for him was shown in the Ceremonial Funeral Procession.  Once again the cooperation and support shown by your officers toward the Ottawa Fire Service was clearly evident during the ceremony.  The care the officers provided, some on their own time, was truly appreciated by the Fire Service and Alex's family.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the following members of your Ottawa Police Service who provided their respect, support and professionalism as we went about honouring our deceased member.

Public Safety Unit Staff/Sgt Rick Lavigne, coordinated Traffic Constables Matt Clarke, Peter McKenna, Kevin McKale and Craig Roberts, while S/Sgt Mel Robertson, Rural West Patrol Services (under the command of West Division Patrol Services Inspector Al Tario) provided the necessary escort/traffic control service to the Family and Firefighters who comprised the procession for Tubman's Funeral Home to St Paul's Church where the funeral mass was held.  Please note that, S/Sgt Robertson and Constables Clarke and McKenna came in on their off-duty time to assist our members at this funeral.  Putting on an event of this magnitude requires the assistance of many different services, each one as necessary as the other, and the services provided by the members of your Department which included the following; providing escort service, running traffic stops, traffic control were tantamount to making the event as respectful as possible to the family of the deceased.  Thank you again for your support.

 

Date Received: 26 March 2008

From: Pray Bhindi, Program Coordinator Parks and Recreation Branch, City of Ottawa

OPS Members: Insp. Jill Skinner, Insp. Al Burns, Insp. Alain Bernard, S/Sgt. Marc Pinault, S/Sgt. Graydon Patterson, Sgt. Jamie Dunlop, Sgt. Dana Reynolds, Cst. Jennifer Delia

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and all the staff who partner with us a prosperous and wonderful year.  In particular, a sincere appreciation to the Police Services for partnering with us on "Youth on the Move" program.  The assistance and support of Inspectors Jill Skinner, Al Burns, and Alain Bernard, played an enormous role in making the program a success last summer.  This Partnership certainly proved to be a successful combination and was invaluable in addressing neighbourhood youth issues, redirecting youth to positive activities, and reducing incidences of loitering, vandalism, and other negative behaviours during the summer's evening hours in our City's "Hot Spots".  In addition, I would like to send along our gratitude to Constable Jennifer Delia for directly working alongside our two east teams.  Her incredible commitment to enhancing our community was much appreciated by all.  This appreciation equally extends to Staff Sergeants' Marc Pinault, Graydon Patterson, Jamie Dunlop, and their respective Neighbourhood Constables for the working with our west teams.  In this context, I also want to extend our appreciation to Sergeant Dana Reynolds for working with our central team.  This Partnership certainly proved to be a successful combination and was invaluable in addressing neighbourhood youth issues, redirecting youth to positive' activities, and reducing incidences of loitering, vandalism, and other negative behaviours during the summer's evening hours in our City's "Hot Spots".  Given all of the above, we look forward to working with the Ottawa Police Services in 2008 in maintaining the City of Ottawa as a safe and prosperous community for all of its diverse communities.

 

Date Received: 28 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Keith Martin, Cst. Scott Herriot

Excerpts from Letter:

I called the Ottawa Police yesterday, Thursday, March 27th for assistance regarding a neighbour who was harassing my husband and me.  Two police officers showed up at my apartment a short while later.  The officers’ names were Police Officers K. Martin and S. Herriot.  I told them how the neighbour was harassing us.  The officers were very polite and listened to us as we told our story.  I told them my husband and I have a severe case of Post Trauma Stress Disorder.  They acknowledged what we were saying and promptly went down to see the neighbour in question and then later spoke to us in the lobby as they were leaving and told us they told the neighbour to leave us alone.  The officers had a very good attitude and were very friendly and were accommodating.  I was very impressed by these two police officers.

 

Date Received: 28 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Isabelle Cyr, Cst. Gavin Morris, Marilyn Warren

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to commend officers working at Orleans police station.  On the afternoon of March 14th, I was driving down St. Joseph Boulevard and I knew I wasn’t where I was supposed to be so I stopped at the station for assistance.  The officer at the desk felt that I should get medical attention and called an ambulance.  The officers then took my grandchildren out of my car and into the warm station.  Then they called my wife with the details and finally made arrangements to have our granddaughter picked up at day care and delivered to my wife.  This was accomplished without upsetting the children and with compassion.  Later on that evening the officers called my wife to ensure all the children were with her.  I was checked out by the staff at the hospital and released later that evening.  I wish to express my appreciation for the attention received from the duty officers and the paramedics.

 

Date Received: 28 March 2008

From: John C. Domm, Acting Chief, Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service

OPS Member: Margaret MacDonald

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the contributions of your corporate communications officer, Margaret MacDonald.  On Tuesday, March 18th, Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service hosted a focus group for the 'Literacy and the Police'.  Margaret was an active facilitator of the day's activities and she readily accepted a request to help coordinate press coverage for this important work.  In addition, Margaret and the rest of the project team ran the first workshop with all participants on Wednesday, March 19th. There were over 20 participants broken into two groups for an all-day session with only four facilitators.  Margaret being one of those four.  I know she jumped in without hesitation and made an appreciable contribution toward the success of this two-day event.  Your police service was very well represented by Margaret, in front of seven different services including the RCMP, OPP, Thunder Bay PS, Dryden PS, Anishinabek PS, Treaty3 PS and Nishnawbe-Aski PS.  I also acknowledge and appreciate the fact Ottawa Police Service provided such a valuable resource to this initiative.

 

Date Received: 31 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Douglas Belanger, Cst. Michael Vandermeulen, Cst. Goran Beric, Cst. Jonathan Kenney

Excerpts from Letter:

As the executor of an estate, I wish to thank you, your Police Service and especially the four patrol officers who assisted me and some members of my personnel during a move that took place on March 1st in Ottawa.  An unfortunate estate dispute and family feud that in my judgment could have easily degenerated into a very volatile situation prompted me to require the presence and assistance of police officers as a preventive measure prior to the start of moving some furniture.  Officers Belanger, Vandermeulen, Beric and Kenney were on location during the move of said furniture.  The officers immediately took control of the situation and displayed much competence, expertise, understanding and courtesy.  Thanks to their much-needed presence no bad incident occurred.

 

Date Received: 31 March 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Andy Moore

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing to thank Det. Andy Moore and the Ottawa Police Service for their recent handling of a theft.  A laptop, belonging to my employer, was stolen from my home in December 2007.  Beside myself, my family and specifically my son were victimized by this crime.  With some information provided by my son, Det. Moore was able to interview two youths and ultimately get them into a diversion program, which is a satisfactory outcome from my standpoint.  Det. Moore did an excellent job of pursuing a relatively small crime with the same diligence as a more significant crime.  I want him and the Ottawa Police Service to know that resolving these types of everyday issues is very important in our community and my family and I appreciate the attention that we received.  Keep up the good work.

 

Date Received: 31 March 2008

From: Greg McMullen, Classification Department, Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre

OPS Member: Debbie Stone

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing to commend and praise the work of Ms. Debbie Stone in the Intelligence section of your department.  Over years of dealing with her, she has never failed to provide extremely useful and timely, not to mention essential, information to the classification department at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre.  She consistently displays a thoroughness and tenacity that can only be admired, and does so in a completely professional and cheerful manner.  It is very likely that the quality of the work produced within the classification department would be diminished, were it not for the valuable services she has afforded over the years, and hopefully will continue to offer for many more years.  She is without reservation, a credit to herself and your organization as a whole, and I know first hand that other related organizations share this view.  She is entirely deserving of a good deal of praise, thanks and appreciation.

 

Date Received: 01 April 2008

From: Terry Kilrea, Sheriff/Enforcement Officer, Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General

OPS Members: S/Sgt. Paul Johnston, Ottawa Police Service

Excerpts from Letter:

I am a Sheriff/Enforcement Officer of 29 years with Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.  One of my duties is to enforce Court Orders relating to eviction of tenants and mortgage foreclosures.  On many occasions I have had to call Police to keep the peace and assist under Section 141 under Courts of Justice Act.  I work closely with your officers, particularly S/Sgt. Paul Johnston, on crack house evictions and I cannot praise them enough.  Most people did not realize the Police could not enforce the eviction order but in fact the Sheriff does it.  When I do an eviction at a crack house, I always call your Service but usually they are calling me first.  Most recent was a mortgage foreclosure on March 31 in Vanier and the tenant was out of control.  I called 911 due to her behaviour and your officers arrived within minutes and handled the situation in a professional manner.  There are 2 of us who do this job in Ottawa and we appreciate knowing your officers are there.  Kudos to all and many thanks.

 

Date Received: 03 April 2008

From: Danette Nearing-Guibord, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Carleton University

OPS Member: A/S/Sgt. Kal Ghadban

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing regarding Kal Ghadban who gave a presentation to the Criminology field placements students on January 29th and February 5th.  I recently reviewed the evaluations students did on his presentation and there was an overwhelming response that it was one of the best presentations this year and that we should invite him back next year.  I know as a professional working in the field that many of these public service requests are above your regular work requirement.  Kal did not hesitate to accept when I asked him if he could present to my two seminar classes on the topic of substance abuse.  Along with his expertise in the area, he brought in someone to give an international perspective and also to show the work that Canada and the US collaborate on in the fight against drug trafficking.  Special Agent David Jacobsen, DEA from the US Embassy, and Kal presented an informative talk that generated much discussion amongst the students.  I was impressed by Kal’s commitment to his work, as he had worked an overnight shift prior to his talk to the class but still maintained the energy for an excellent presentation.  It is important to have presentations like this conducted both at this level as well as to high schools so that we equip our young people with the knowledge and correct information of what is happening locally, nationally and internationally.  And for my students, it encourages them to follow the profession of police officer because it involves more than just upholding the law

 

Date Received: 11 April 2008

From: Monty Malloy, District Chief, C Platoon, Ottawa Fire Services

OPS Members: Cst. Chris Cochrane, Cst. Doug Frost

Excerpts from Letter:

On Saturday April 5th, the Ottawa Fire Service (OFS) dispatched Pump 42 to 499 Terry Fox Drive (Fratelli’s Restaurant) for a reported 72-year-old male initially choking, then not breathing.  As I was in the immediate vicinity, I responded to this call to see if I might be of some assistance.  Upon arrival bystanders who indicated that CPR was being performed directed me into the restaurant.  Upon arrival at the patient I did observe CPR being performed by two civilians.  I immediately notified OFS dispatch that CPR was being performed and to update Pump 42 and EMS.  Pump 42 and crew arrived within one minute and took over from the ‘civilians’.  I was subsequently notified by the Officer of Pump 42 that not only had the victim-regained consciousness, but also was talking to the crews in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.  Prior to my departing the scene I had a chance to talk to and thank the two “civilians” for their efforts.  I found out during this conversation that both of these individuals were off-duty’ Ottawa Police Officers.  Their names are Constables Chris Cochrane and Constable Doug Frost.  I firmly believe that the prompt (they witnessed the choking) and professional actions of these two ‘off-duty’ officers saved this person’s life.

 

Date Received: 11 April 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Susan Wright

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing to express my appreciation for a job that one of your officers did on 18 March 2008.  Officer Sue Wright responded to my call to your station.  My car had been stolen from my driveway and Officer Wright assisted me.  Within two hours she had found the car and assisted in helping me get the car back into my possession.  Please express my appreciation to Officer Wright for her help that day.  She responded to this citizen's request in a very professional and efficient manner.

 

Date Received: 13 April 2008

From: Rod Silverson, Chief Instructor, Patrol Training, Ontario Police College

OPS Member: Cst. Darwin Turner

Excerpts from Letter:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ottawa Police Service and Constable Darwin Turner for the outstanding instructional assistance provided to our Radar/Lidar Instructors Course.  During the 7-day course, Constable Turner effectively and efficiently demonstrated his expertise to meet the course training standards.  His professional demeanour or and obvious knowledge of Radar/Lidar was acknowledged by the students' comments.

 

Date Received: 16 April 2008

From: Mark Moors, Assistant Crown Attorney, Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General

OPS Member: Sgt. Michael Haarbosch

Excerpts from Letter:

I dealt with the matter of R. v. Patrick Graham earlier this month.  The accused pled guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in the penitentiary on arson charges.  Detective Michael Haarbosch led an investigation that was outstanding in both its dedication and results.  His court file was very well organized and complete.  He ensured that the victims of this terrible crime were given a voice and ultimately obtained justice from the courts.  The credit for this successful resolution is his.  Please pass on my thanks for his service to the community. 

 

Date Received: 17 April 2008

From: Members of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Nicolas Benard

Excerpts from Letter:

Late last night after an evening at the bar we were lured back to the "home" of three males whom we thought we could trust; yet as the evening progressed we realized what a dangerous situation we seemed to be in.  As three young, naive girls none of us seemed to be able to fully address the predatory situation, as regardless of our disinterest, these males seemed determined to create a sexual situation.  We were in such a situation of discomfort that none of us really knew how to say the word; none of us knew how to get away.  However, at around 3:30-4 AM, some of your officers, responding to a "noise complaint", basically came to our rescue.  It turns out none of the three guys we were with even lived in the apartment that they brought us to, although each of the three separately tried to lead on that it was their own.  As three young girls from Barrie, Ontario, we truly have never been exposed to people like this, we took for granted that their intentions would be nothing but good.  The reality is terrifying, and last night left us very shaken.  We would truly like to thank Detective Benard for the understanding and kindness he showed in the situation.  Despite whatever situation it was which we had found ourselves in the middle of (and the officers let on that they had visited the apartment before), he made us feel truly comfortable and at ease, regardless of our on edge state.  We are so happy that the officers arrived when they did; who knows what would have happened if they had not. We are truly more than pleased with the service provided by the officers, particularly Detective Benard.  Thank you for your time, and your protection.

 

Date Received: 17 April 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Gregory Tyrer, Cst. Greg Janes, Ottawa Police Service

Excerpts from Letter:

I just wanted to thank the 2 officers I met on Montreal Rd at 2 p.m. yesterday:  Cst. Tyrer and Cst. Janes.  I work at the federal government building on Dupuis Street in Vanier and I have seen some "things" that the streets of Vanier have to offer.  I was very happy to hear that the Ottawa Police had decided to start walking the beat on Montreal Road.  Hopefully, the police presence will move the vagrants/prostitutes along and deter their activities. 

 

Date Received: 19 April 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Cory Robertson, Cst. Ryan O'Neil

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing this letter to commend two of your officers whom I feel were very professional and compassionate when they handled my 16-year-old son at a dance at John McCrea High School on Friday April 18th.  It came to my attention via a phone call from Constable Robertson that my son was intercepted before he entered the school dance, that he had been drinking and was in NO shape to attend.  Constable Robertson and his partner made a decision not to pursue the matter where it would have caused me much more headache but to instruct my son’s friend to take my boy directly home. To make a long story short, I ended up at the school to pick my son up as he diddled and dawdled home.  I had the opportunity to converse with the two officers, and let me tell you, those are two of finest officers I have ever dealt with.  They were extremely polite, courteous, understanding and downright human with me and the entire situation.  I certainly hope this makes their personal file as they truly are "the finest and brightest officers you have on board"

 

Date Received: 21 April 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Michael DiRaddo, Cst. Dominic Lalonde

Excerpts from Letter:

On the morning of April 17, 2008, at approximately 06:30 Ottawa police received a call from the Paramedic service for assistance for an unconscious baby.  I am writing to thank the two officers that attended my residence that morning as they were a great relief to my wife who was home with the baby.  I was at work when this 911 call came in and when I arrived home the officers gave me an update right away.  The two officers arrived very quickly and were very supportive and helpful. 

 

Date Received: 22 April 2008

From: Kyoshi John Therien, Président, Z.A.C. du Quartier Vanier B.I.A.

OPS Members: Ottawa Police Service

Excerpts from Letter:

Un gros merci pour les nouvelles patrouilles dans Vanier ! Au nom de tout le Conseil de la Z.A.C. je vous félicite pour un bon travail !  Nous sommes tellement fiers de pouvoir travailler main dans la main avec le Service de police d'Ottawa, ensemble pour Vanier.

 

Date Received: 23 April 2008

From: Insp. Mark Ford

OPS Member: Cst. Michel Vandal

Excerpts from Letter:

In the early morning hours of April 23rd, Central Patrol officers attended the east side of the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge, where a man was sitting on a ledge threatening to jump into the Ottawa River.  Cst. M. Vandal immediately engaged him in conversation.  Other officers were able to set up a perimeter to manage traffic, which ultimately caused the closing of the bridge from both the Gatineau and the Ottawa sides.  It was learned that the subject was depressed and had been drinking.  He wanted to speak to his family to apologize, but planned on killing himself by jumping into the river.  He was a paraplegic, as a result of a failed suicide attempt 20 years prior.  Ottawa Fire Service had pre-positioned water rescue resources, in the event the man jumped.  Paramedics were also on scene.  Cst. Vandal developed a rapport with the subject.  Upon arrival, Sgt. Dugal, a trained negotiator, assisted Cst. Vandal in negotiating with the subject.   A brother and sister of the subject were on scene, but were not permitted to speak with the man.  The subject jumped into the Ottawa River.  Ottawa Fire Service was able to effect a rescue within seconds of the jump.  The subject was taken to land, were Paramedics treated and transported the subject to the Ottawa Hospital-Civic Campus.  The subject sustained only minor lacerations as a result of the jump and was treated for hypothermia.  Central Division officers did an excellent job at managing the incident.  However, Cst. Vandal should be singled out for doing an excellent job in maintaining a dialogue and developing a rapport with the subject for the length of time that he did.  This allowed for the pre-positioning of rescue resources and ultimately led to the subject's safe rescue. 

 

Date Received: 25 April 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Member: Cst. Paul McCormack

Excerpts from Letter:

(Addressed to Cst. McCormack)  Thank you so much for standing guard on Palm Sunday after my dearest wife passed away.  It helped me and my son Mark bear the sad loss of my wife and the mother of my three sons.  Keep up the great work you do for the community.

 

Date Received: 08 May 2008

From: Rod Silverson, Chief Instructor, Patrol Training, Ontario Police College

OPS Member: S/Sgt. Larry Colotelo

Excerpts from Letter:

On behalf of the Public Safety Division of the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, I would like to thank Staff Sergeant Larry Colotelo for participating as a Committee Member for the Domestic Violence Coordinators' 2008 Conference “Domestic Violence, Harm Reduction and Homicide Prevention - the Power of Many.”  Please convey our sincere appreciation to S/Sgt. Colotelo for his contribution.  The planning and coordination of this conference was very well received and helped made the conference a great success.

 

Date Received: 13 May 2008

From: Lyle Singular, Director, Recovery Services, Absolute Software

OPS Member: Cst. Jeff Aylen

Excerpts from Letter:

I am writing to thank you for the prompt and efficient service we recently received from your Department.  As a retired police officer, I know that the quality and timeliness of leads regarding crimes committed can make all the difference in an investigation.  Our company, Absolute Software, is the developer of Computrace Lojack for Laptops patented computer theft recovery software.  A computer belonging to one of our customers was stolen in Ottawa on December 20, 2007.  It later contacted our monitoring center over the Internet.  Our Computrace software identified an IP address and an Absolute Theft Recovery Officer supplied that, and other supplemental information to Detective Jeff Aylen.  The subscriber information was subpoenaed, supplemental information verified, identifying the user in Ottawa.  Detective Jeff Aylen successfully concluded the case when they recovered the computer on March 26, 2008.  Please pass on my compliments to Detective Jeff Aylen, whose diligence and investigative skills helped put a dent in property crime.  The Theft Recovery Team looks forward to working with your department again.

 

Date Received: 13 May 2008

From: Member of the Public

OPS Members: Cst. Stephen Carroll, Cst. Marc Denis

Excerpts from Letter:

A couple of weeks ago, my family and neighbours were upset to discover that a crack dealer had moved into the ground floor apartment in the house next to mine.  This was frightening and upsetting, as you can imagine.  I called the police, as did my neighbours, and found help immediately.  Your officers, Stephen Carroll and Marc Denis, were the primary movers on this situation.  Every day after my initial call there was a strong police presence on the street.  After a couple of days Officers Carroll and Denis told us that they hoped the dealer would be gone in a matter of days and, amazingly, they accomplished this.  Throughout this ordeal your officers were unfailingly helpful, professional, friendly and persuasive.  They treated everyone involved, including the dealer, with respect and consideration.  I cannot tell you how impressed my family and our neighbours are by this successful intervention. I commend you on your fine officers and the excellent work they are doing.