LETTERS OF COMMENDATION
SINCE THE MARCH BOARD MEETING
Date received: 10 March 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Alison Kennedy, Constable Kuldeep Sharma
Excerpts
from the letter:
I had
occasion to call on the services of the police…I rent rooms in my home and I
had encountered a problem with a tenant.
Two officers responded to the call and they were Cst. Alison Kennedy and
Cst. Kuldeep Sharma. I wanted to
write to the department to express my gratitude and sincere appreciation for the
behaviour and professionalism of these two officers. They listened to both sides of the problem, explained each
party's rights within the law and did everything they could to bring the
situation to a reasonable conclusion.
The officers were polite, professional and understanding. I want to commend Constables Sharma and
Kennedy for their promptness in responding to my telephone call and the way in
which both officers handled what might have become a difficult situation. As a taxpayer I am indeed proud if these two
constables are an example of the calibre of our police force. They exhibited good judgment and their
conduct is a credit to the uniform they wear. I want to commend the Police
Force for the fine training these two officers have obviously received.
Date received: 17 March 2005
From: Members of the Public
OPS Member: Constable Robert Griffin
Excerpts
from the letter:
Our family just had a scary thing
happen at the corner of Southwood and Iris streets and, thankfully, one of your
police officers was there to help us.
We were in our van at the time, coming up to a stop sign. The man in the truck in front of us had just
smashed into the car in front of him.
He was getting out of his truck to look at the damage, but instead of
putting the car in park, he put the car in reverse. Then, he fell as he was getting out of the truck and so, wasn't
able to stop his truck from backing up.
So, the driverless truck kept backing up toward us as my mom tried to
back out of its way. The truck ended up
bumping into us twice. The police
officer that was at the other corner literally jumped across the road, got into
the car while it was moving, and put the car in park. That police officer almost slipped under the moving truck where
he could have been badly hurt. He saved
us from being crushed between the truck driving out of control in reverse and
another string of cars behind us. So we
would just like to say thank you to that brave and quick police officer.
Date received: 21 March 2005
From: Director, Security & Emergency Management Division, Natural Resources Canada
OPS Member: Constable Arthur Wong
Excerpts
from the letter:
I would like to thank you [Cst. Arthur Wong] for your presentation at our National Security Coordinators Workshop. Your presentation on Crime Prevention and Protection along with sharing your knowledge and expertise on the relationship between NRCan and the Ottawa Police Service was very well received and most informative. I realize the amount of preparatory work you invested in preparing for the Workshop was in addition to your regular duties and I am very grateful.
Date received: 17 March 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Leslie Jutasi
Excerpts from the letter:
I chose to write this letter about 2 years after you gave me a street racing ticket. You’re probably thinking that the reason why I wrote this letter was because I was angry but to your probable surprise, I am actually writing you this letter to thank you. I know this may sound surprising but I am actually thanking you because if I hadn’t received the street racing ticket, I would have probably kept on driving like I used to and would probably be in my grave today. Since I received that ticket, my driving has gotten a lot safer since I now obey the rules of traffic and I’ve actually learned to appreciate the simple pleasures of driving at safe speeds. In conclusion, I wanted to thank you for doing a fine job and to tell you to keep on doing it!
Date received: 4 March 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Jennifer Melchiorre
Excerpts from the letter:
…I had occasion to visit the Orleans Police Station. I was experiencing a problem with my younger son who, at 9 years old, decided that he was old enough to be home alone. As he is usually a pleasant-natured, co-operative young lad, I was very disturbed when, twice in one week, he "missed" the school bus to his before-and-after care program. Fortunately he was able to go to a neighbour's until I arrived home. I had already emphasised that he was not allowed to be home alone at his age and that the laws were put in place for child protection…To make a long story short, I stopped by police station and asked if an officer could talk to my son. I ended up speaking with a very pleasant officer on duty at the front desk. She spent about 20 minutes speaking to my son. I could see her draw on her experiences as a police officer and a mother and reach the perfect approach with him. While I normally would not have to receive outside assistance with enforcing the rules with my son, I am extremely pleased that I was able to draw on Cst. Melchiorre’s expertise, position of authority and age-appropriate interaction to teach my son that the police are members of our community who are here to help.
Date received: 23 March 2005
From: President, Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
OPS Members: Sergeant Peter Lineger, Constable John Monette, Ruth Campbell
Excerpts
from the letter:
As you may know, Ottawa Police members Cst. John Monette and Sgt. Peter
Lineger recently participated in a Roundtable discussion our organization held
to discuss the needs of victims in cases of serious, unsolved crime. Ms. Ruth Campbell, Victim Crisis Unit, also
participated. This meeting was held…as
part of a research project we have undertaken for Public Safety Emergency
Preparedness Canada and the Department of Justice. We are writing to thank you for allowing John, Peter and Ruth to
participate. We value the insight and
expertise the officers brought to the table as a result of their experience
with cold case homicide investigation and adult missing persons. Ruth's extensive experience dealing with
victims and survivors of crime was also invaluable to us…
Date received: 31 March 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Nathan Hoedeman & Youth Section
Excerpts
from the letter:
We are writing to express our appreciation of a recent experience our family had with your Youth Services Division….Our 16 year old son was assaulted and injured at a party. Following our initial contact with the reporting officers that night, we were contacted by Cst. Nathan Hoedeman of the Youth Services Division. Cst. Hoedeman informed our son of his rights and options to either press charges or to participate in a mediation process, on the condition that the young man responsible for the assault was willing to take responsibility for his actions and sincerely seek an alternate resolution…after careful preparation of both young men, Cst. Hoedeman facilitated a face-to-face meeting with them…This very positive process was due in large part to the excellent conflict resolution work of Cst. Hoedeman. It is exciting to know that the Ottawa Police Services has the foresight to put resources into proactive and preventative community justice programs like this one. It is also exciting to know that the Youth Section has people of the calibre of Cst. Hoedeman working with young people in our community…
Date received: 31March 2005
From: Members of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Joel Demore, Sergeant Sean Barrette, Constable Phong Le
Excerpts
from the letter:
My mother and I would like to commend and thank the members of your police force, as well as the members of the Ottawa Fire Department and the Ottawa Paramedic Service, who attended my father...Unfortunately…my father died that morning, despite the very best efforts of all of the emergency services personnel who arrived very promptly and acted very professionally. I would like to single out the professional and compassionate conduct of Cst. Joel Demore, as well as that of Sgt. Barrette, and Cst. Le. Cst.Demore is particularly memorable because he had the unenviable job of remaining at my home since his arrival shortly before four o'clock that morning until after seven o'clock, to await the arrival of the coroner as well as the funeral home staff. Cst. Demore correctly pointed out that he was only doing his job but he did his job at the highest possible standard. He asked the questions that needed to be asked, provided good advice and support on some practical matters when I was rather distracted and upset, and explained everything that was going to happen quite clearly and without unnecessary sugar-coating. I appreciated his straightforwardness very much…My mother and I are truly thankful to live in this country and this city of Ottawa with the finest of police and emergency services.
Date received: 30 March 2005
From: Community Chair, OPS LGBT Liaison Committee
OPS Members: Acting Inspector Kai Liu, Constable Bruce Libbos, Constable Lorraine Wilson
Excerpts
from the letter:
Earlier this month, we [LGBT Committee members] were invited to attend the RCMP & OPP Senior Officers' First Nations Retreat Conference held at the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst…was also asked to open the session and close the conference with ceremonial offerings, prayers and song…Prior to departure, we telephoned A/lnsp. Kai Liu to discuss concerns related to security protocols at the airport, regarding the storage and searching of sacred aboriginal medicines. If physically searched by someone other than…a prolonged cleansing ceremony would be necessary. The sacred medicines she carried were Cedar, White Sage / Wild Sage from Wounded Knee, Sweet-Grass, Lavender and Tobacco. A/Insp. Kai Liu contacted officers at the Ottawa International Airport's Emergency & Operational Support Unit and explained the circumstances. Pleasantly, on return calls, the Department of Transport were familiar with the sensitivities expressed, and protocols have been instituted. We went to the airport and the officers were waiting for us at the front entrance. Cst. Bruce Libbos, Cst. Lorraine Wilson, and a Department of Transport Inspector introduced themselves, and in a very short time whatever concerns we had were eased by the professionalism of the three members involved…the officers deserve great credit…Once again, I have the honour of expressing to you, our pride of the Ottawa Police Service, for its professionalism and courtesy in these matters.
Date received: 1 March 2005
From: Muslim Presence Ottawa
OPS Members: David Pepper, Julie Foster
Excerpts
from the letter:
On behalf of Muslim Presence Ottawa, I would like to sincerely thank you for your contribution to the Symposium entitled The Ethics of Citizenship, Democracy and the Future of Islam. Your participation enabled a true dialogue about our common challenges and future and how we should work together to promote a common citizenship based on justice, respect, equality and the refusal of discrimination and racism…We wish to extend sincere thanks and gratitude for your presence and active role and we are proud to know that we have equal partners helping us with this preferred future.
Date received: 12 April 2005
From: Board of Directors, Carleton Condominium Corporation CCC #38
OPS Members: Constable Quinn McCabe, Constable Randy Stockdale
Excerpts
from the letter:
We would like to take this opportunity to let you know that we extend a
note of appreciation to the Ottawa Police Service and in particu1ar Cst. Quinn
McCabe and Cst. Randy Stockdale for their concern, time, and efforts in
providing advice, support and future actions in helping the residents in
Carleton Square, Carleton Condominium Corporation, to provide a safe and secure
environment for our 247 unit community…it has been most important that we work
with the Ottawa Police Service to ensure the best outcomes…we very much
appreciate the two officers for their initiative and efforts.
Date received: 4 April 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Sergeant Brad Hampson
Excerpts
from the letter:
First, I would like to apologize for taking so long to send you this letter. I must have changed it ten times. I still can't put into words how to express my feelings for what one of your officers, Sgt. Brad Hampson, did for me in Normandy last September…Our tour had the chance to visit this memorial [at the Abbaye d’Ardenne, France] the night before I asked Sgt. Hampson to do me a huge favour. I asked him if he could sing "Danny Boy" at the memorial service that we were having for the Canadian soldiers murdered at the Abbaye. Without any hesitation he said he would be honoured to do this for me. To say the least, it was quite an emotional day for me. I can't thank him enough for what he did for me and my family. Knowing the history of this song in relation to myself, it must have been very difficult for Sgt. Hampson to sing. He did a great job. Sgt. Hampson was amazing throughout the whole trip, he would play his pipes at every cemetery and ceremony we had, we didn't even have to ask. He was a great addition to the tour…I just want to thank you for letting Sgt. Hampson come on this trip. You have a very special person working for you, I am sure you already know this.
Date received: 2 April 2005
From: Osgoode Carleton Snowmobile Trail Club
OPS Members: Staff Sergeant Bill Shepheard, Sergeant Charles Stokely, Sergeant Don Lacasse, Constable Kelly Ryan, Constable Steve Kirtz, Constable Vanessa Parsons
Excerpts from the letter:
Another winter season has drawn to a close, bringing to an end to snowmobiling on federation trails in Osgoode Ward. As liaison officer, it was again my pleasure along with my OFSC Team, to work alongside you officers. Public awareness, and acceptance of Police presence on our 230 plus kilometres of trails has never been higher. On different occasions, after being checked for proper documents, etc., individuals have thanked officers for stopping them for routine checks. I attribute this to the high degree of professionalism and courtesy displayed at all times. Since we are the "hub" and snowmobilers pass through Osgoode Club territory, the impact is far reaching. I would like to thank S/Sgt. Shepheard, Sgt. Stokely and Sgt. Lacasse, who dedicated their time and efforts to make this program, in my view, the best in Ontario. T o Cst. Ryan, Cst. Kirtz and Cst. Parsons, thank you for all the little things that the public, in general, does not see…
Date received: 6 April 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Phong Le
Excerpts
from the letter:
Date received: 11 April 2005
From: Members of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Jamie Aldrich, Donna Johnson
Excerpts
from the letter:
On behalf of my wife and daughter, I would like to thank Cst. Jamie Aldrich, who came to our daughter’s aid when she reported our son missing. Since we live in Nova Scotia it was a devastating few hours when we heard that he had not reported for work since he left early the previous Friday sick, and it was now Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Nova Scotia time. Cst. Aldrich apparently located our son (deceased). He was caring and sensitive, he had a grief counsellor with the Toronto Police go to our daughter’s home in Toronto and notify her….Ms. Donna Johnson met us at the airport, drove us to our hotel, sat and talked, gently listening to our story…Ms. Johnson and Cst. Aldrich showed us the care and concern you only hope to receive in a time of great grief and sorrow.
Date received: 11 April 2005
From: Son of deceased OPS member (retired)
OPS Members: Ottawa Police Service Choir, Traffic Escort, Maria Fortunato
Excerpts
from the letter:
Last week, members of your staff took the time and effort to attend my father’s funeral services at the Holy Cross Church in Kemptville…The police escort from the funeral home to the church was so professional and moving. It made me so proud to know my father was a part of your organization. At the church itself, the officers had parked their cars in an elegant formation and stood at attention, saluting the motorcade as we entered the church parking lot. Everyone I spoke to was moved to tears to see such a demonstration of respect and honour from police officers for one of their own…Please accept my deepest thanks for your generosity in allowing the OPS Chorus to be present and share their wonderful talents and gifts to honour my Dad and console his family in our time of grief. This event truly revealed the professionalism, generosity and class of the Ottawa Police Service, and I am truly proud that my Dad was part of your organization. [Coordination, of members’ participation in the funeral, by Executive Assistant Maria Fortunato.]
Date received: 8 April 2005
From: Family Council of Extendicare West End Villa
OPS Members: Constable Ray Lamarre, Traci Brown
Excerpts
from the letter:
As the provincially mandated advocates for the nursing home residents in our facility, we were faced with a difficult situation, together with the nursing home staff and management. Tempers were becoming frayed and feelings of helplessness and division within our facility were becoming very apparent. We approached Constable Lamarre, through a Victim Crisis Unit referral, and management at Extendicare West End Villa and members of our Board were able to meet with him and review the legal consequences to various scenarios we hoped to prevent from happening again. He and Ms. Brown, Victim Crisis Unit, very kindly attended a meeting with our Board and Villa management at our facility, and not only helped us put the problem squarely on the table, but offered constructive support and advice…We extend our sincere thanks to Cst. Lamarre and Ms. Brown for their understanding of the nature of our problem, and their valued assistance in helping us ‘lower the temperature’ and focus on what needs to be done to come to a resolution.
Date received: 11 April 2005
From: President, CEP Local 34-O
OPS Members: Acting Sergeant Al Ferris, Constable Steve Carroll, Constable Mehdy Khalid
Excerpts
from the letter:
…We currently have a number of picket lines across the city with regards to the strike... The purpose of this letter is to say thank you for the assistance provided by the Ottawa Police. T hree of your officers, Cst. Steve Carroll, Cst. Al Ferris and Cst. Mehdy Khalid, have been invaluable. My picket captains have reported to me on many occasions, had it not been for the intervention of your officers, all hell would have broken loose on our lines. I can't stress enough how important their presence has been. As I am sure you are aware there are always two sides sometimes three sides to any strike. One thing that has come abundantly clear in this strike has been when the sides start heating up, the only measure that works has been the police presence. Their take-charge approach while remaining impartial has been most effective in diffusing the factions.
Date received: 14 April 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Staff Sergeant Anda Pember
Excerpts
from the letter:
…I was returning home by OC Transpo.
As the bus exited at 10th Line I became very ill and decided
to get off the bus. I also became
somewhat disoriented and fortunately the first stop was the East End detachment
of the Ottawa Police. I entered the
building where within minutes had the first of three seizures. The first occurred prior to paramedics
arriving but S/Sgt. Anda Pember sat with me during this time. I can assure you that this was the first
seizure I have ever experienced and S/Sgt. Pember's reassurance and her
calmness was very important during what was a very scary situation for me. S/Sgt. Pember also called my wife to inform
her of what had happened and here again her calm approach reassured my
wife. I do want the Ottawa Police
Services, and members of city council, Mr. Jellett as my councillor and the
other councillors as members of the Police Services Board, to know of this
situation, not because it was anything that was out of the ordinary but because
it represents the quality of service and dedication to the public that our
police officers perform every day and on this incident something that I very much
appreciated.
Date received: 7
April 2005
From: Member of the
Public
OPS Members: Martin
Champoux
Excerpts from the letter:
If you remember I spoke to you some time ago in regards to my husband’s
car accident…We have both decided we are not able [well enough] to go through
with going to court…thank Martin Champoux for all his trouble. Martin is a very good employee and a real
gentleman in every way…
Date received: 18 April 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Sergeant Dwayne Raymond, Sergeant Ray Sabourin, Constable Pierre Emond, Constable Kirk Gidley, Patricia Guerin, Constable Julie St-Jean, Constable Darryl Upshaw
Excerpts
from the letter:
…The Ottawa Paramedic and Police Services answered a call to my family home. The patient was my older brother. Unfortunately for my family, resuscitation was not an option and my brother was pronounced deceased at scene…I was the first to arrive on scene at this call and I quickly went from Paramedic responder to affected family member. I would like to inform you that your police officers provided an excellent response and were very sensitive to the needs of my family…I was, at once, a Paramedic dealing with my devastated family and one of the devastated family members…The officers were all respectful, tactful and most of all caring. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of your police officers during this personally very difficult time. To you and your team, thank you for helping to create a Police Service we can all be proud of.
Date received: 18 April 2005
From: Immigration Enforcement, Northern Ontario Region - Canada Border Service Agency
OPS Members: Constable Jamie Aldrich
Excerpts
from the letter:
Canada Border Service Agency would like to recognize the excellent work of Cst. Jamie Aldrich. On multiple occasions over the past 6 months Cst. Aldrich has referred cases to our unit that has resulted in the arrest and subsequent deportation of criminals from Canada. We appreciate the extra steps undertaken by Cst. Aldrich in assisting us in the apprehension and eventual removal of these persons from Canada. Cst. Aldrich has shown true dedication and professionalism while representing the Ottawa Police Service and the citizens of Ottawa.
Date received: 18 April 2005
From: Immigration Enforcement, Northern Ontario Region - Canada Border Service Agency
OPS Members: Constable Franco Sacco
Excerpts
from the letter:
Canada Border Service Agency would like to recognize the excellent work of Cst. Franco Sacco. Cst. Sacco has assisted us with numerous cases involving gang members with serious criminality. His assistance has been instrumental in the arrest of and the subsequent deportation of individuals that posed a serious risk to the citizenry of Ottawa. In one specific case, an individual with serious criminality and involved in gang activity went underground just prior to his escorted removal from Canada. Cst. Sacco went above and beyond the norm and was instrumental in his arrest…Cst. Sacco has conducted himself with extreme professionalism and true dedication to the protection of the citizens of Ottawa.
Date received: 22 April 2005
From: McGarry Family Chapels
OPS Members: Sergeant John Crozier, Traffic Escort Unit
Excerpts
from the letter:
As you know the Cambodian Community and the whole community of Ottawa was shocked and saddened by the tragic death of the 5 members of the Thach family who perished in the Somerset Street fire on April 5th. Hundreds of people from our Ottawa community attended the visitation and funeral service at our Central Chapel April 13-15 to offer their support and condolences. We want to convey to you our appreciation and respect for the professional and practical assistance of Sgt. John Crozier and his contingent of officers who provided traffic direction and funeral cortege assistance the day of the funeral service. Their professional and sensitive expertise was greatly appreciated.
Date received: 22 April 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Kevin Linnett
Excerpts
from the letter:
A man called OPS to commend an officer. The man had called 9-1-1 the night before, as his wife, who suffers from alzheimers, had wandered out of the house. He said the conduct of Cst. Kevin Linnett was "absolutely professional". He went on to say he could not express how impressed he was with Cst. Linnett and the Ottawa Police in general. He wanted to thank Chief Bevan for hiring such wonderful officers.
Date received: 28 April 2005
From: Smith Falls Police Service
OPS Members: Constable Shane Henderson
Excerpts
from the letter:
…Cst. Shane Henderson turned over an informant to our intelligence officer…If it had not been for the way Cst. Henderson had dealt with the individual on the street we would not have had the results that we have now. I have been informed that he was an excellent officer in the way he dealt with this matter. It is obvious that Cst. Henderson is an asset to the Ottawa Police Service. His actions speak volumes which shows the level of professionalism and co-operation that exists between our front line officers.
Date received: 29 April 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Chris Partridge
Excerpts from the letter:
My husband suffered a heart attack and died…Among the very efficient emergency team which arrived at our home was Cst. Chris Partridge. While the medics were working on my husband, Cst. Partridge kept me busy in the kitchen. He then drove me to the hospital and waited with me until a family member arrived. Throughout this ordeal, Cst. Partridge showed me nothing but kindness, concern and understanding. This must be a very difficult part of an already stressful job and I wanted him to know how very much I appreciated his thoughtfulness…
From: Regional Supervising Coroner – Eastern Region
OPS Members: Constable Eric Gordon
Excerpts from the letter:
I write
to thank you for providing the services of Cst. Eric Gordon in support of the
inquest into the death of William Stephen Davidson. The assistance of the Ottawa Police Service was very much
appreciated in this challenging inquest.
Cst. Gordon acquitted himself extremely well…During the course of the
inquest itself he ably assisted the Crown Counsel. He was personable and entirely reliable. In short, he is a credit to the Ottawa
Police Service and I would be most pleased to work with him again in the
future.
Date received: 29 April 2005
From: Thomas D’Arcy McGee Catholic School
OPS Members: Constable Kerry Gatien
Excerpts
from the letter:
Recently, Cst. Kerry Gatien, the School Resource Officer for T.D. McGee, dropped by with some vouchers for Lynx games to be given to deserving students. This morning, we had our T.D. McGee Superstars announcements. Superstars are students who show exemplary behaviour and attitude in a variety of areas. The chosen area for this round was ‘Creative Problem Solving’. Twenty students from Junior Kindergarten to grade six were recipients of Superstars. Included this morning with each certificate were two vouchers for Ottawa Lynx baseball games in May courtesy of your department. The students were thrilled to receive this additional recognition for their work and I thank you on their behalf. Thank you for helping to develop a strong and positive relationship between students and police officers. Cst. Gatien is a welcome addition to ‘my’ staff and I am pleased to say that her courtesy visits far outnumber her duty visits. Her comfortable and relaxed manner speaks highly of her commitment to children.
Date received: 2 May 2005
From: Graybridge Malkam Language Training
OPS Members: Constable Ken Bruce
Excerpts
from the letter:
Graybridge Malkam launched a
language training program in January 2005…Our goal in this project is to help
the Ottawa Police Service become more diverse and make it truly representative
of the Ottawa population…I approached Cst. Ken Bruce about being a guest
speaker for our students and fortunately he accepted…The students were very at
ease with him, asking him questions and he easily facilitated discussions. I think the fact that Constable Bruce is a
recent hire is another factor that makes him approachable and because he has a
background in English as a second language teaching, he was very accommodating
and understanding of our students…It is encouraging to know that there are
people working for the OPS that believe like we at Graybridge Malkam do that
diversity competency is a crucial ingredient for attracting, developing and
retaining a talented workforce.
Date received: 11 May 2005
From: RBC Investments
OPS Members: Constable Jeffrey Kelly
Excerpts
from the letter:
I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work Cst. Jeff Kelly has done to bring this file to a successful conclusion. Our employee was harassed at both home and in the work place by an out of province individual. He continued to harass her despite repeated efforts on our part through the civil court process to have him cease and desist. These calls to our office were not only disruptive to our work environment but more importantly; we were concerned for our employee’s health and safety. We were very impressed with Cst. Kelly's tenacity in bringing this individual to justice…All too often we read and hear about negative stories about the police. I felt it important to share this "good news" story about one of your department's officers with you.
Date received: 12 May 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Bruce Graham, Constable Micheal Paré
Excerpts
from the letter:
I wish to express my most sincere thanks for the help of your officers Bruce Graham and Mike Pare who were of great assistance to me and my family when my son had a manic episode. Having stopped his medication, my son needed to be hospitalized urgently and I could never have done it without the help of those two officers. The two policemen were very polite and compassionate and knew how to deal with a person suffering from such an illness. They used their insight and understanding to convince my son that he needed treatment. They did their job efficiently and smoothly in a timely manner. Their handling of the situation resulted in my son being admitted to the hospital without any problem and alleviated the intense stress that I was experiencing…I am very grateful that your officers had the knowledge and skills required to deal with persons with mental illness. The help provided by the two officers has strengthened my trust in the Ottawa Police Force…
Date
received: 2 May 2005
From:
Sr. Pastor, Ottawa Church of God
OPS
Members: Deputy Chief Larry Hill
Excerpts
from the letter:
This note comes to you with our
deepest gratitude for attending the Ottawa Church of God’s Annual Pastor’s
Appreciation service…We were so blessed to have you there to represent the
Ottawa Police Department. It touched
our hearts that you took time out of your busy schedule to share this time with
our family and the church. We look
forward to continuing our relationship with you and the Ottawa Police
Department.
Date received: 17 May 2005
From: Algonquin College
OPS Members: Sergeant Jeff Webster
Excerpts
from the letter:
This letter is written in appreciation for Sgt. Jeffrey Webster, who attended on two separate dates to deliver presentations on ‘Resolving Public Complaints’ as per the Police Services Act…Sgt. Webster came to the College during a very hectic time period and delivered very interesting and informative sessions to the students. His presentations were extremely well received. The content was very enlightening and clarified various misconceptions with respect to public complaints and how they are managed. S gt. Webster gave an inside perspective for the type of work he did during his tenure in the Professional Standards Section…He was approachable, honest and forthright. His assistance in this regard was very much appreciated.
Date received: 17 May 2005
From: Algonquin College
OPS Members: Acting Sergeant Chaughan Garvey
Excerpts
from the letter:
This letter is written in appreciation for A/Sgt. Chaughan Garvey, who attended on April 15th to deliver a presentation on ‘Fraud’. A/Sgt. Garvey has done this presentation on various occasions during the past two years and each one has brought forward numerous accolades from students. A/Sgt. Garvey delivered a very interesting and informative session to the students. He maintains a very unique and professional approach, which draws the interest and attention of the students into the dynamics of fraud investigations. His presentation was extremely well received. The content was very enlightening and intriguing. He gave an inside perspective for the type of work in which he is presently involved…He was approachable, honest and dynamic. His assistance in this regard was very much appreciated.
Date received: 16 May 2005
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Constable Linda MacKay
Excerpts
from the letter:
Thank you for taking the time to
speak with both my son and myself at yesterday's Open House at Algonquin
College. Your professionalism,
politeness and enthusiasm about your job were very apparent, and, made a large
impact on my son. Not only did you help
focus him to a possible career in policing, your "humanity" and your
very approachable disposition also brought out the fact that police are people
too. In an age where teenagers seem to
get into more trouble with the law and display a lack of respect for the
police, I was glad that my son met you.
You're an excellent example of what police interaction should be all
about…