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REPORT RAPPORT |
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DATE: |
21 April 2009 |
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TO: |
Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board |
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FROM: |
Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service |
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SUBJECT: |
LETTERS
OF COMMENDATION |
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 meeting, for services rendered by members of the Ottawa Police Service.
(Original
signed by)
Vern White,
Chief of Police
Attach. (1)
LETTERS
OF COMMENDATION
Date Received: 20 February 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Members: Staff Sergeant Monique Perras and OPS Members
Excerpts from Letter: I am writing you in regards to the recent arrests of 31
people for various child pornography charges.
As a member of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, I have long been
involved in campaigns to eradicate child pornography. I realize the difficult job your department has, and in particular
the officer who must view terrible scenes in order to facilitate
prosecutions. Thank you for the
personal sacrifice of which this difficult job entails, as you strive to make
Canada a safer place for all children.
Date Received: 23 February 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: Constable
Caroline Gallant
Excerpts from Letter: I would like to take this opportunity to send a note of
thanks to the Ottawa Police Services regarding a recent incident at one of our
senior citizen apartments. An incident
took place at one of our buildings on February 11, 2009, when a tenant grabbed
another tenant in the hallway. The
woman who grabbed the other tenant was undergoing a diagnosis for dementia or
Alzheimer’s disease at the time. The
woman was not going anywhere with anyone.
Constable Gallant spent some time with her, and somehow managed to talk
her into going to the hospital. This
was not an easy task as this tenant is extremely stubborn, and rarely left her
apartment. The tenant was taken to the
hospital and has now been placed in a care facility on a permanent basis. I feel quite strongly that this situation
would have had a very different ending had this officer not had the abilities
to reason with this tenant. It took a
bit of time, but in the end, the results were the best for all concerned. I would like to ensure that Constable
Gallant is acknowledged for taking the time to handle this situation in such an
excellent manner and allowing everyone concerned to maintain their
dignity. Constable Gallant went the
extra step to ensure a successful outcome.
Thanks again for a delicate job that was well done.
Date Received: 02 March 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Members: Constable
Raymond Lamarre and Constable Robert Arbour
Excerpts from Email:
On behalf of the
participants and the Executive members of the National Capital Region of
Canadian Counselling Association, I wish to thank you both very much again, for
your informative presentations. The
feedback was excellent, and we all enjoyed the casual yet professional manner
in which you presented. I understand
that because your presentations were so ‘accessible’, some of the participants
may contact you for further presentation opportunities with their
organizations. Thank you so much again,
and keep up the terrific work.
Date Received: 05 March 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: Constable
Adam Grundy and Constable Abid Nasim
Excerpts from Letter: This is a note to express my thanks to Constable Grundy and
Constable Nasim who treated me with kindness and compassion on February 17,
2009. My husband placed a 911 call when
I was not with him. From what I
understand, the response was very fast.
Shortly after I arrived, his heart stopped and he had to be
resuscitated. Constable Grundy drove me
to the hospital, guided me through the maze and kept checking back with
me. Learning and using people skills is
the most important aspect of police work.
I wish I knew who reached my husband first, just to know if he was
unconscious. Ken had Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis, and died again at 7:00pm that evening.
Date Received: 16 March 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: A/Sergeant Leslie Jutasi
Excerpts from Letter: The management and members of the Ottawa Hungarian
Community Centre would like to express their appreciation and gratitude to
A/Sergeant Jutasi for his participation in the commemorative ceremony of the
1848-1849 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight, celebrated by the Hungarian
community on March 15, 2009. During
this commemorative event, Sergeant Jutasi proudly sporting his police uniform,
was kind enough to recite “Talpra Magyar” (“Raise, Hungarians”) one of
the most popular poems by the great Hungarian poet and revolutionary, Sandor
Petofi. The Ottawa Hungarian Community
Centre would like to personally thank you for the opportunity to showcase
Sergeant Jutasi’s talent. We are always
proud to receive such outstanding pillars of our community as Sergeant Jutasi
who has proven his dedication to preserve his Hungarian heritage and ethnic
roots while actively contributing to Canada’s cultural diversity and economic
flourishing.
Date Received: 31 March 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: Staff
Sergeant Lawrence Colotelo and Sergeant Peter Jupp
Excerpts from Letter: The Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women would
like to thank you for the inclusion of violence against women in the Ottawa
Police 2008 Activity Report. This
article served as an opportunity to educate and sensitize the public about the
extent of women abuse in our city. It
is also important that the Ottawa community is aware of the scope and
procedural process of police involvement through the Partner Assault and
Victims Crisis Section. Following from
our research project funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services
and together with data collected from the police and other community agencies,
Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women intends to release our report by
early May 2009. This will pull together
relevant and more detailed data from 2007-2008 on the state of violence against
women in our capital city. Your article
is timely as May marks Sexual Violence Awareness Month. Sexual abuse is one of the many types of
abuse that occur within intimate relationships, yet it remains the least
reported to police. To quote Chief Vern
White, “Everyone has a role to play in ending violence against women”.
Date Received: 1 April 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: Constable
Edward Ellis and Constable Ahmad Hafizi
Excerpts from Letter:
I had the pleasure of
working with Constable Ellis and Constable Hafizi during a not so routine
Mental Health Act Form 1 client. The
client is a retired member with whom I worked.
Suffice to say, he has been going through some very tough issues
associated to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Our member health care team deemed it necessary to have him admitted to
the Ottawa Civic Hospital for him to get appropriate care. Constable Ellis and Constable Hafizi
responded to the call. I really want to
impress upon you the absolute professionalism and respect these two young
officers displayed through their dealings with our member and myself. They were completely sensitive to all of the
human factors that made this “routine call” potentially traumatizing for out
member. Constable Ellis and Constable
Hafizi displayed the best qualities that police should have (that of empathy
and compassion).
Date Received: 3 April 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: Constable
Barrie Macdonald, Constable Lachlann Bisaillion , Sergeant Patrick Frost and
Sergeant Debbie Palmer
Excerpts from Letter:
On behalf of the
organizing committee for the cancer fundraiser “Ottawa – Bear Hug Capital of
the World” event, I would like to present to you a copy of the aerial
photograph of the Bear Hug II event, which occurred April 25, 2008. Though Bear Hug II failed to re-establish
Ottawa’s Guinness World Record of 2004, the students raised $320,000 plus for
cancer care in Ottawa. I would like to
extend a thank you to you, the Air Support Team and the Ottawa Police Special
Events officers who assisted the ten high schools and over 10,000 students
during the event. In partnership with
The Ottawa Senator’s Foundation, the students will donate all proceeds to
Roger’s House, CHEO, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation and The Regional Cancer
Foundation. Your leadership is greatly
appreciated by all of the participants in Bear Hug III.
Date Received: 14 April 2009
From: Member
of the Public
OPS Member: Constable
Peter McKenna
Excerpts from Letter: I would just like to say “Thank You” one more time for your compassion and understanding. I really really appreciate your kindness and look forward to meeting your daughter and telling her what a lucky kid she is.