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REPORT RAPPORT |
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DATE:
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22 September 2014 |
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TO/DEST:
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Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board |
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FROM/EXP:
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Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service |
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SUBJECT/OBJET:
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LETTERS OF COMMENDATION
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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 (OPS).
(Original signed by)
Charles Bordeleau
Chief of Police
Attach. (1)
Responsible for the report: John Steinbachs, Director, Corporate Communications
LETTERS OF COMMENDATION
Date Received: 21 May 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Melburn White
Excerpts from letter: Earlier this month, my home was broken into, while the alarm system was inadvertently not turned on when my daughter left our home earlier in the evening. Thankfully, we have a secondary video system that sends emails when motion is detected during periods when no one should be home or moving around the house. This allowed us to contact the police while the burglary was taking place and thanks to their quick reaction, they were able to catch the burglar before he could leave with our valuables. I am not a frequent letter writer and I seldom complain or praise people for doing their job or, in some cases, not doing it. In this case, the actions were exceeding what I would consider the norm, I felt it deserved attention. Our primary contact with the Ottawa Police from the time of the break-in until now has been Cst. Mel White, and I must say he is a credit to the Police Service. Cst. White has not only been keeping us informed during the process. He has been an absolute pleasure to deal with and has made the very best out of a bad situation due to his professionalism and empathy. Cst. White is a fine example of what, in my view, police officers should be: kind, considerate, compassionate and professional.
Date Received: 10 June 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Emyr Thomas
Excerpts from letter: Driving home with my mother, my Dad felt a lot of pain in his legs and decided to switch drivers with my Mom. At that time our guardian angel happened to drive by … Cst. Emyr Thomas. He turned around after driving by and asked my parents if they needed help. He helped my Dad get into the car and then followed them home. When they all arrived home my Dad could not make it in the house due to pain. Cst. Thomas called an ambulance and helped him into the house. My Mom phoned me. Cst. Thomas waited with her until I arrived and I drove her to be with my Dad. I was so grateful for his help. Please extend this to him. I was a bit of a mess and did not properly express my appreciation. I appreciated Cst. Thomas’ compassion and patience; sometimes it is the little things that mean so much. We are forever grateful for the service of the men and women of the OPS who serve our community. I am sending prayers to all of you today. Thank you.
Date Received: 12 June 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Jean-Paul Vincelette
Excerpts from letter: I wanted to personally thank Cst. Jean-Paul Vincelette for his excellent support concerning the accident my wife was involved in. He took the time to gather all required information, followed through in a timely manner, and made my wife feel at ease and comfortable with the process. She found the whole process very simple and everything worked out well.
Date Received: 20 June 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Henry Matamoros
Excerpts from letter: I couldn’t wait to get to my office so I can write you this note and compliment you on the superb services we, as a community, are receiving from your/our men and women of the Ottawa Police Services. This morning, I was stopped by an officer for a minor traffic infraction and I wanted to congratulate you and the officer on the superb services shown during the process. The officer I interacted with, Cst. Matamoros, is to be commended for his professionalism and superlative skills. Thank you again and rest assured your hard work and superb services are all well appreciated by everyone in the city.
Date Received: 4 July 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Police on bike
Excerpts from letter: I think this is a brilliant idea. I am British and it reminds me of the cops on the beat. They are in the community getting to know people as well as crime fighting. It’s absolutely great to see them and if anything, the people that are up to no good know they are here and they never know when they are going to appear and from where. I have noticed a great difference in my neighbourhood since this has been going on, especially in the parks and side streets. Keep up the good work and kudos to you all. Love it. I did not acknowledge Inspector Pat Flanagan's role as the leader of the team.
Date Received: 6 August 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Edwin Code
Excerpts from letter: Cst. Code was the officer who responded to my shop theft call. Upon arrival, Cst. Code was the definition of professionalism to both myself and the accused as he was very thorough walking us through the appropriate steps he had to take. I was very impressed with his customer service skills and the overall result of the case.
Date Received: 7 August 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Daniel Testa
Excerpts from letter: My family and I visited Ottawa to see the changing of the Guard and to visit the Museum of Nature. Having lived in Ottawa a few years ago, my wife and I always enjoyed marching up with the guards from the barracks to the Hill. On our way to the barracks, officers were already in place to direct traffic. Just as I was to go under the Laurier bridge, a motorcycle officer directed my two (2) year old son and I to come over to see him. He then pulled out a small stuffed monkey and offered it to my son Edward. My wife and I are trying to raise our son bilingual, so when my son received the monkey, he answered "merci". The officer answered "de rien, c'est pour toi. Bonne journée"! This was a very welcoming gesture that I really appreciated. My son has since not stopped talking about the police man who gave him his new friend "monkey" (who is now called Jam) and visiting Ottawa. So a thank you to Ottawa Police and the officer who was at the tunnel to Laurier bridge that morning, we very much appreciated the act of kindness and the welcome we received, not to mention the bilingualism!
Date Received: 8 August 2014
From: Member of the Public
Excerpts from letter: I want to acknowledge the exemplary police work that I witnessed on William Street. Although I don't know the three constables' names or badge numbers, I was impressed and touched by their professionalism and apparent compassion while dealing with two intoxicated homeless men who had been harassing tourists. I was really taken by the calm way that they talked with the men; it was really nice to see police officers acting so humanely and without aggression, even though the intoxicated men had been acting so inappropriately. I would like to pass on my gratitude to the Ottawa Police for their compassionate professionalism. Thank you for all that you do.
Date Received: 12 August 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Cst. Gregory Thomson
Excerpts from letter: I am a nurse in the ER at the Ottawa Civic and I am writing to inform you of a police officer who deserves acknowledgement for his work. During my night shift Cst. Greg Thomson was there with a patient. During this time, myself and a colleague were dealing with a number of intoxicated patients who were both verbally and physically aggressive with us. Cst. Thomson was not involved with these patients directly and our hospital security personnel were not able to assist us with them. I then asked Cst. Thomson to assist us with these aggressive patients, as we were concerned for our safety, and the situations were escalating. Cst. Thomson dealt with each of these people, de-escalating the situation and making sure one of them was leaving hospital property as he had been medically cleared by our MD. As nurses in the ER we are always concerned about our safety with these types of patients; it was nice to have Cst. Thomson's present there that night, and have him without question assisting us with these patients. His professionalism, calm presence and effectiveness made our shift safer.
Date Received: 15 August 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Members: Cst. Marc Belajac, Cst. Marc Boulerice and Cst. Mary-Laurel Boon
Excerpts from letter: I wish to commend the two officers involved in my brother's case for the kindness and professionalism in dealing with him who was experiencing a difficult time when he was stopped by Cst. Boon. In particular, Cst. Boon demonstrated genuine concern on the day of the incident with regard to my brother’s mental and physical state during her interaction with him, my nephew and myself. I was particularly impressed by the fact Cst. Boon called at a later date to ask about my brother and later to promptly respond to a concern of mine. I would be remiss in omitting my gratitude to the officer we met at the site where my brother's car was stopped. Unfortunately, I do not recall this officer's name; however, he waited patiently while I collected my nephew and drove to the location provided by him. At the scene he graciously and carefully explained the situation and why my brother was taken to the Civic Hospital.
Date Received: 24 August 2014
From: Member of the Public
OPS Member: Sgt. Jeff Aylen, Cst. Michael Gatti and Cst. Megan Arbuthnot
Excerpts from letter: On behalf of my son and daughter in law, I am writing to express my deepest appreciation for the outstanding efforts and professionalism of Cst. Gatti and Cst. Arbuthnot. I was visiting my son in the Orleans area and became aware of a break and enter as I entered their residence. The damage to the residence was extensive and the amount taken very substantial. Needless to say I was in shock as I observed the ransacking mess they left as all drawers were opened and emptied and they also stole articles of a more personal nature and the family car!!! I was truly horrified as I witnessed their financial documents had been ruffled through as well. Cst. Arbuthnot and Cst. Gatti were extremely calming and reassuring as they were assisting. They helped me calm down, took their time to ask questions and reassured me. Inspector Medeiros called me to reassure me that the OPS were well aware of the break in and that an investigation would be starting. I also need to mention Sgt. Jeff Aylen who attended at the scene as well to ensure I was alright and the officers had all they needed to get their work done! He was also most professional in explaining all that would be done! I was extremely pleased with their efforts and their services and most appreciative! I wanted to share our sincere appreciation to all of them.
Your officers truly helped me come to terms with this terribly upsetting experience. We are truly blessed with great officers at the OPS.