PP Provincial Constable Marc Hovingh’s name is among the 110 OPP officers, and 888 names of police and peace officers who have died in the line of duty nationally in Canada, now engraved on the tablets at the rear of the Parliament of Canada.
The tablets overlook overlook the beautiful scenery of the Ottawa River in Canada’s capitol of Ottawa, Ontario.
The Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ 44th Annual Memorial Service was a ‘virtual’ event to respect the Covid-19 Pandemic gathering limits on Sunday September 26, 2021. The Service was conducted from the Memorial Pavilion at the rear of Parliament Hill in front of the tablets engraved with the names of the fallen officers. A livestream of the event was broadcasted on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter. A small choir formed on the west side of the front lawn of Parliament Hill, and a small number of police and peace officers in uniform from across Canada lined up at attention in front of the choir. The livestream featured live music from the choir, as well as a pre-recorded segment of music from the full amalgamated chorus who usually gather and provide the music for the event. The livestream was watch by thousands nationally and internationally.
Watch the archived livestream of the Virtual 2021 Canadian Police & Peace Officers’ Memorial on Youtube:
During the livestream “Reading of the Names” by Ottawa Police Staff Sergeant Julie Mann and Canadian Border Service Agency Superintendent Rebecca Southerland, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique and OPP Association President Rob Stinson stood quietly side by side at the Memorial Pavilion at the rear of Parliament for the reading of all 888 names of police and peace officers who have died in the line of duty in Canada, who are listed on the Honour Roll.
An honour to stand alongside @OPPAssociation President Rob Stinson to pay our respects to 888 fallen heroes and their families at the 44th Canadian Police And Peace Officer's Memorial @CPPOM. https://t.co/cWPhEcvufG
— Thomas Carrique (@OPPCommissioner) September 27, 2021
The Commissioner and OPPA President joined a small Honour Guard of OPP Provincial Constable Penny Fulford and Retired Sergeant Mike Beresford in front of the tablet bearing Marc Hovingh’s name, prior to being a part of the very small group of invited guests assembled at the Pavilion for the Service.
OPP Association Vice President John Cerasuolo and Director Mike Adair watched the Service from the front lawn of Parliament Hill, near the 30th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery, known as the By-Town Gunners who were in attendance to provide their traditional two gun salute.
Invited guests at the Pavilion for the Service included Anna Korutowska and her son, the wife and son of Ottawa Constable Eric Czapnik who was killed in the line of duty on December 29, 2009, as well as Tricia Kirkwood, the daughter of Ottawa rookie Constable David Kirkwood, who’s line of duty death on July 11, 1977 inspired the creation of the Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial. Both families laid the wreath in honour of all of the families of the 888 officers who are on the tablets.
Others who were in attendance and laid wreaths were The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on behalf of the Government of Canada, Canadian Police Association President Tom Stamatakis, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police President Bryan Larkin, Canadian Peace Officers’ Memorial Association Chantal Lewis and United States of America Law Enforcement Lieutenant Edward J. Strohm of the New York State Courts on behalf of law enforcement in the USA.
The annual Run To Remember and Ride To Remember were both virtual events this year. A small group of runners and riders from the Ottawa area arrived on Parliament Hill Saturday September 25, 2021 and were greeted and thanked by the Canadian Police And Peace Officers Memorial Coordinator Steve Boucher. Ontario Police Memorial Foundation Vice President and OPP Association Director Mike Adair was also present to welcome the riders and runners on Parliament Hill Saturday afternoon.
The remarks at the arrival of the Run and Ride To Remember was livestreamed and can be watched here:
A small Family Vigil was held at the tablets at the rear of Parliament at 6pm on Saturday September 25, 2021.
That Family Vigil was livestreamed and can be watched here:
In a normal year, the entire lawn of the Parliament of Canada is filled with uniformed police and peace officers, and families of recently fallen officers are in attendance and honoured. Organizers have had to host a ‘virtual’ event in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. It is very much hoped by the organziers and everyone that in 2022 the service of the fallen officers and their familes can properly honour in person with a large gathering of police and peace officers all who are recent additions to the tablets.
Due to the gathering restrictions, the OPP hosted a Memorial Ceremony at OPP GHQ in Orillia on Monday September 27, 2021 that saw a number of family members of our OPP fallen officers attend, including Lianne Hovingh who laid a wreath in honour of her husband Marc Hovingh and all OPP fallen officers.
This ceremony was hosted by OPP Commissioner Carrique. OPP Association President Rob Stinson was joined by Vice President John Cerasuolo and OPP Association Directors Mike Adair, David Sabatini, and Dave Dube. the Solicitor General of Ontario, Sylvia Jones was also in attendance among other dignataries
Today, families of fallen #OPP officers and invited guests paid tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Lianne Hovingh, whose husband Marc was killed last year, laid a wreath in his honour. Another was placed for all officers who died protecting #Ontario. #HeroesInLife pic.twitter.com/7IlH6ms2tD
— Thomas Carrique (@OPPCommissioner) September 27, 2021
On behalf of the OPP Association, President Rob Stinson and the Board of Directors wish to thank all involved in the organization of honouring our fallen officers, and offer their ongoing support for all family members and colleagues affected by the line of duty deaths of our members. We will always remember their service and sacrifice.
Note: For a number of pictures in high resolution that can be used for public or private sharing click here. Photo contributions from OPP GHQ Ceremony from OPP Corporate Communications Photographer Jayne Van der Veen. Photo contributions from CPPOM in Ottawa from Bernie Forestell and Scott Mills.
Inspector Chris Collins from the Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP) Uniform Recruitment Unit and OPP Association Director Mike Adair join the 10-5 Podcast for the first of two episodes to discuss the OPP’s current uniform recruiting efforts. This includes the number of recruits being sought, current initiatives and psychological testing.
For further information on the OPP’s Uniform Recruitment Unit, please visit www.opp.ca/careers, email uniformrecruitment@opp.ca,visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/OPPCareers, or contact them at 1-877-677-4473.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the OPP Youth Foundation recognized this year’s Pathway of Memories recipients who had an inscribed memory stone dedicated in their honour, as well as those who donated a stone at a ceremony attended by a number of honourees and their families and friends on September 14, 2021.
“The Pathway of Memories is an excellent way to honour our OPP members, past and present, who have dedicated their lives to community service. It is fitting that all proceeds from this initiative is donated to the OPP Youth Foundation, who do tremendous work to ensure the success of our youth for future generations of service. Thank you to each and every person who attended today and support this project in one way or another to celebrate the service of our members. I encourage anyone interested in honouring a member to reach out to the organziers and help continue our legacy of service together.” said OPP Association President Rob Stinson, who was among the attendees at the event.
The Pathway of Memories pays tribute to current and former OPP members and teams and their families as well as organizations that have contributed to the rich history of the OPP in some way. Recipients are honoured through engraved memory stones which are inlaid into the path – a distinguished outdoor feature at the OPP General Headquarters in Orillia.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique and OPP Youth Foundation Chair Dave Lee addressed dignitaries, memory stone recipients, their donors and other supporters at the Pathway at Memories Dedication Ceremony. Carrique and Lee acknowledged and thanked those whose donations and contributions go a long way to help young persons in communities served by the OPP.
The memory stone donation funds allow the OPP Youth Foundation to support OPP members who dedicate their time to provide meaningful opportunities for Ontario youth, such as OPP youth camps and bursaries.
“There has never been a more important time to provide opportunities to the youth in our communities. The OPP is grateful to the OPP Youth Foundation for their exceptional volunteer work and ongoing dedication to enriching the lives of youth in communities throughout Ontario,” said Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
“The Pathway of Memories not only supports disadvantaged youth, but has established a tangible legacy that will continue to grow in support of the OPP Youth Foundation. I am proud of the many Foundation volunteers, OPP members and other supporters who remain focused on helping our youth and contribute towards making Ontario a better place,” said Dave Lee, Chair of the OPP Youth Foundation.
A total of 105 memory stones have been donated this year, bringing the number of stones in the Pathway of Memories to 426. The first inscribed Pathway of Memory stones were unveiled on April 20, 2017.
The Pathway of Memories is open for public viewing on the terrace of the front lawn at GHQ, located at 777 Memorial Avenue, Ontario. Click on the OPP Youth Foundation website for info on how to buy a stone and/or make a donation: OPPYouthFoundation.ca/PathwayOfMemories
Dave Osborne is the Project Lead of the Pathway of Memories. Dave can be contacted by phone for further information: (705) 323-3598.
Click on the OPP Youth Foundation website for info on how to buy a stone and/or make a donation: OPPYouthFoundation.ca/PathwayOfMemories
Click on the image for the link to watch live 9am-noon on Sunday September 26, 2021 from Parliament Hill
The following is an update on the 2021 Virtual Canadian Police And Peace Officers’s Memorial reproduced from the official blog of the CPPOM.
Update on the 2021 Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial
Dear Friends and Colleagues.
Sunday September 26th is fast approaching and we are busy finalizing the last few details on this years’ service. As you can imagine, the pandemic continues to impact our planning.
The 44th Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service will take place again this year at the Summer Pavilion, next to the Memorial tablets behind Centre Block on Parliament Hill. The area will be restricted to access by invite only for the duration of the service.
We have been granted permission to install a video wall on the West Lawn where anyone can attend and participate in person. While that area will be open to anyone, pandemic restrictions will still apply.
We encourage any police and peace officers’ intent on attending the West Lawn to wear their #1 dress. We will arrange attendees in rank and file for the service.
There will be no parade or March Past again this year.
Please also note that all buildings in the Parliamentary Precinct remain closed. Therefore, there will also be no reception following the service.
The pathways leading to the Summer Pavilion and Memorial Tablets will be closed starting at 8:00am.
The Order of Service will remain as in years past. The Reading of the Names will start at 9:00am. The Memorial Service will begin at 11:00am.
The pathways and area around the Summer Pavilion and Memorial Tablets will reopen at the conclusion of the Service.
The Memorial Service will be broadcast live and can be viewed by going to this link: CPPOM.ca/Live.
I thank you for your continued patience as well as your support for our fallen officers and their families.
Stay healthy and stay safe.
Steve Boucher, M.O.M.
Ottawa Police Service, Ceremonial Sergeant Major
Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial Service, Coordinator
Click on player below, this link or image above to listen to podcast on platform of your choice.
Mark Baxter, President of the Police Association of Ontario (PAO), of which the OPP Association is a member, joined the 10-5 Podcast to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the PAO and its members, goals for his 3-year term and the next Provincial election in June 2022.
To learn more about the PAO, visit the PAO website. They can also be reached by email at pao@pao.ca.
Resources referenced in the podcast for mental health:
The Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program is available to eligible active and retired OPPA Members:
Telephone – 1-866-794-9114 (Available 24/7)
Email – info@encompascare.ca
Website – EncompasCare.ca
Canada Beyond the Blue
Boots on the Ground 24/7 at 1-833-677-BOOT (2668)
Badge of Life Canada
info@badgeoflifecanada.org
Wounded Warriors Canada
info@woundedwarriors.ca
If you have any questions about this episode of the 10-5 Podcast, please email us at communications@oppa.ca.
On September 13, 2021 the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation, of which the Ontario Provincial Police Association is a founding member issued the following statement on the official OPMF blog and social media channels. (@HeroesInLife tweet)
STATEMENT REGARDING PLANNED PROTEST OF MANDATES BY FIRST RESPONDER GROUP AT ONTARIO POLICE AND FIRE FIGHTER MEMORIALS ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
t has come to the attention of the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation (OPMF) that a group of first responders plan to engage in a “silent protest against mandates” on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 11:45 a.m. at the site of the Ontario Police and Fire Fighters Memorials at Queen’s Park in Toronto.
The OPMF is a charitable foundation formed by the Police Association of Ontario (PAO), the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA), the Toronto Police Association (TPA), the Ontario Senior Officers’ Police Association (OSOPA), and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP). The Foundation is responsible for the management of the Ontario Police Memorial, which includes adding names of fallen officers whenever required and hosting an annual Ceremony of Remembrance.
On behalf of our members, the OPMF denounces such a protest occurring at these memorial sites, which are intended to honour Ontario’s police personnel and fire fighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives in the line of duty. To be clear, our Foundation and those within our organization do not endorse and are not affiliated in any way with the group coordinating today’s protest against mandates.
The OPMF is confident the vast majority of sworn and civilian police personnel across the province are committed to doing their part to help keep their communities and fellow first responders safe and healthy. Some policies recently announced or proposed in many municipalities pertaining to COVID-19 vaccinations for first responders are an important step toward ensuring that.
Everyone has the right to peacefully protest and stand up for what they believe in, and we are certainly respectful of that right, but the police and fire fighter memorials are not the appropriate venue to hold a demonstration against a political issue such as mandates. We respectfully request that the organizers of this protest re-locate their gathering so as to preserve the purpose and integrity of what the police and fire memorials represent within our first responder communities and for the families of those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.
In Unity,
Jason Tomlinson, President
Ontario Police Memorial Foundation
Statement regarding planned protest of mandates by first responder group at Ontario Police and Fire Fighter Memorials on September 13, 2021 https://t.co/O0D8GDT8Qq pic.twitter.com/m1E4g7H1oa
— Ontario Police Memorial Foundation (@HeroesInLife) September 13, 2021
The Ontario Professional Firefighters Association issued a statement as well that can be found on @OPFFA Twitter.
Statement Regarding Planned Protest at Ontario Fire Fighters Memorial on September 13, 2021. @IAFFCanada @iaff13th @ONgov @IAFFNewsDesk pic.twitter.com/TRIy50EHMp
— OPFFA (@opffa) September 13, 2021
The Spencer Finch piece “Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning” has 2,983 individual paper tiles – one for every person killed by terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.
Photo by Jin S. Lee
On September 11, 2021, twenty years have passed since the 9/11 Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and in Pennsylvania. Our world will never be the same from that day.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, members and staff of the OPP Association I offer our heartfelt condolences to all those who have suffered losses and continue to bear the pain of the despicable terror of that day.
The OPP Association will never forget, and our members will always work tirelessly to serve and protect our communities to the best of our abilities to prevent terrorism and all violence and hate.
Please take a moment to reflect and teach a younger member of your family or community about the significance of never forgetting the people who died that day.
A good reference is the The 9/11 Memorial & Museum. It is America’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance and honouring those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 terrorist attacks. Click on 911Memorial.org to learn more.
Rob Stinson
President & CEO
OPP Association
OPP Association President Rob Stinson and members of OPP joined Simcoe County Suicide Awareness Council for a bench and tree dedication on Friday September 10, 2021 to mark World Suicide Awareness Day.
“Life Promotion” and “Creating Hope Through Action” was the theme today as family survivors, community advocates and OPP members gathered at a bench and tree dedication ceremony in Gravenhurst, Ontario for World Suicide Prevention Day.
The event was hosted by the Simcoe County Suicide Awareness Council. OPP Association President Rob Stinson attended the dedication ceremony, made possible in part by a generous donation from Provincial Constable Shawn Evans of the Nottawasaga OPP Detachment.
Bracebridge Detachment Commander Inspector Michael Burton, Heidi Lorenz, Deputy Mayor of the Town of Gravenhurst, and Provincial Constable Samantha Bigley, Media Officer for the Bracebridge OPP Detachment also provided remarks.
For President Stinson, the event was impactful on a personal level. He had personally assisted with two of the families present who had lost loved ones to suicide as part of his policing duties prior to becoming President of the OPP Association.
Since 1989, forty active and retired members of the Ontario Provincial Police have died by suicide. This number includes thirty-eight uniform members and two civilian members. Twenty-five were active members and fourteen were retired.
“It is important to recognize all citizens who have died by suicide. Trauma is not limited to police, military and first responders. The issue of suicide affects all of us.” Rob Stinson said.
Stinson further stated “I wish to acknowledge all of our OPP police officers, civilian members and retirees who have died by suicide. We acknowledge that they did valuable and often unacknowledged heroic work. Much of that work led to them experiencing trauma and was a contributing factor in their untimely deaths. I would like to acknowledge the survivors and your pain that you endure daily. There is hope. A big part of that hope is the work of dedicated community members such as yourselves, peer support and professionals who work tirelessly every day to help people in crisis. We are grateful for their service.”
Our OPP Association is proud of the Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program launched in 2019. The program is a 24/7 mental health support to help our OPP members with maintaining their mental health by connecting our eligible members and their families to professional counsellors. To date the use of the program numbers in the thousands.
The OPP Healthy Workplace Team also offers professional psychologists and peer support networks for our members that we are very grateful for. Together the OPP and the OPP Association want to keep breaking down that stigma and encouraging our members to seek help before we have tragic situations.
“Be The Light” is the call to action of World Suicide Prevention Day 2021. Organizers of the event asked that all in attendance as well as the general public to light a candle and place it near a window at 8pm on September 10th. Throughout the world candles will shine as a beacon of hope. Light a candle to show your support for suicide prevention, to remember someone who has died by suicide, and to honour those lives have been impacted by suicide.
For OPP members who would like to reach out for mental health assistance please call the Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program 24/7 at 1-866-794-9117 or online at EncompasCare.ca.
For members of the public, the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association have a number of resources online on their website Ontario.CMHA.ca.
To listen click on the player below, or this link or image above for Google, Apple, Spotify & more
Jean Turner sits on the Board of Directors for Serving With Pride and joins the 10-5 Podcast to discuss the organization and their work, its training programs, the upcoming Gala & Awards Night (October 16, 2021), “The Independent Civilian Review into Missing Person Investigations”, and the documentary film “Coming Out Cops.”
For more information on Serving with Pride, please visit servingwithpride.ca or contact them at info@servingwithpride.ca.
For more information on “The Independent Civilian Review into Missing Person Investigations,” please click here.
For more information on the documentary film “Coming Out Cops”, please visit comingoutcops.ca.
This episode of the 10-5 podcast is produced and hosted by Scott Mills and Joshua Jutras.
Music – “Line of Fire” by Jason Shaw available at Audionautix.com and used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
If you have any questions about this episode of the 10-5 Podcast, please email us at communications@oppa.ca
Click on image above or this link for more info and registration for this online event
Provincial Recruitment Day – OPPortunities for Everyone
About this event
Are you passionate about making a difference? Join us on Provincial Recruitment Day on Saturday October 2nd, 2021 to discover “OPPortunities for Everyone!”
The OPP is always hiring, with hundreds of job openings to be filled over the next year. Whether you are interested in becoming a police officer, auxiliary member (volunteer) or working in a civilian role, we have a job opportunity waiting for you. In addition to current vacancies for uniformed roles, there is also a great demand for qualified candidates for roles within the Provincial Communications Centres and Civilian Data Entry.
This year’s “OPPortunities for Everyone” theme will explore how the OPP supports equity and inclusion. Through partnerships and programs like Be the Bridge and the Inclusion Insights challenge, find out how we are learning from our past, engaging with communities and courageously taking responsibility for our future.
Due to uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be held virtually. This is a full-day event, from 9am-5pm, with a variety of different presentations and interactive workshops to look forward to, including:
• Specialty Unit demonstrations
This session will include a Scenes of Crime Officer, Collision Reconstructionist and Mobile Crisis Response Team member. It will be hosted by Sergeant Vynny Hick and will include a surprise guest appearance.
• Civilian Careers Mentoring Panel
Civilians are non-uniformed members of the OPP who provide critical support to their communities. Civilians exist in all areas of the organization, providing leadership, expertise and support to our frontline members. In this session, you will learn about the wide range of civilian roles available.
• Constable and Civilian Information Sessions
Gain knowledge, insight and helpful advice relating to the OPPs recruitment process for civilian and uniformed careers. The session includes an overview of how to apply, pre-requisites, expectations of an applicant and an overview of how to prepare for each stage of the process. This presentation will benefit those candidates who want to learn more about the OPPs recruitment process, to ensure they are at their competitive best before they apply.
• Q&A with OPP Recruits
The past year has presented new challenges for those training to become police officers. Newly sworn-in OPP officers will provide insights into their experiences at Ontario Police College and the Provincial Police Academy. They will also discuss their experiences in the coaching process, as they begin to gain first-hand experience at their detachments.
• High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Fitness Breaks
No workout equipment is required to participate in these sessions, however you must complete the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+). While physical activity is very safe for MOST people, this questionnaire will tell you whether it is necessary for you to seek further advice from your doctor OR qualified exercise professional before becoming more physically active.
This event is free of charge; however, there are limited spaces available. If the session is listed as SOLD OUT, please do not contact the event organizer. If you cannot attend, please cancel your reservation on Eventbrite so someone else may take your place.
A computer with internet access is required in order to participate.
If you will be participating in the Fitness Breaks, please dress in workout attire. If you have a yoga matt or foam roller (for stretching), you are welcome to use them.
If you have questions, please email uniformrecruitment@opp.ca or call toll-free 1-877-OPP-HIRE. Business hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.