Tyler passed away on May 23, 2004 as a result of an on-duty traffic accident. Tyler was stationed at Grenville County Detachment at the time of his death where he joined the OPP in September 2000 as a Probationary Constable. Shortly after his basic training, he set a goal to become a member of the Emergency Response Team (ERT). In 2003, Tyler realized his dream and achieved his goal. He was very proud to be an OPP officer.
Tyler was well-respected by his fellow officers, command staff and members of the community. His work ethic and dedication to his profession was second to none. He was a true leader who was destined for great things.
Tyler led a very active life outside of policing. He enjoyed the thrill of adventure and the testing his physical limits.
Tyler is survived by his wife, Lori Bates, his parents Lewis and Sharon Boutilier, his sister Superintendent Kari Dart and Craig Dart.
The following are excerpts from John Corcoran’s eulogy to his friend John Flagg.
John was born August 20, 1948, the first child of Reginald and Joyce Flagg of Grand Mannan Island, New Brunswick.
On June 27, 1968, John joined the Ontario Provincial Police and was posted to St. Catharine’s Detachment. During his tenure there he was trained and subsequently became a motorcycle patrol officer. Although John was tasked with a variety of assignments his true affection lay with traffic enforcement on his OPP Harley Davidson motorcycle.
In 1971 he met his future wife Joan, later becoming a family and the proud parents of three wonderful daughters Michelle, Roxanne and Brenda. Their family has since grown to include daughter and son in-laws Paul, Debert and Cindy as well as grandchildren Brenden, Justin, Amy and Kelly.
John remained at St. Catherine’s Detachment until January 1985, where he earned the reputation as a tireless worker and a proud member of the OPP. In 1985 John was transferred to the Kingston South Frontenac Detachment, where he assumed the duties of a general law enforcement officer.
In April 1996, John was assigned to the Quinte RIDE Unit, returning him to his true passion, traffic enforcement with the opportunity to once again resume his duties as a motorcycle officer.
Senior Constable John Paul Flagg # 3979 performed his duties in an exemplary manner throughout his career up to and including his final day of service and life on September 20th, 2003.
These are the facts about John’s life. But this tells us little of the man and an extraordinary life lived.
I first met John in September 1986, when as a Probationary Constable I was posted to Kingston where John was assigned as my coach officer. As I reflect on John’s life, there are certain characteristics and events that left a lasting impression on me and countless others.
I would like to mention these in the form of 4 C’s: character, compassion, community and courage. The first and most important was John’s character. When the name John Flagg is spoken in many different circles, the response always is “what a gentleman”. Regardless of who you are or what you did, if you encountered John in any fashion you were treated with dignity and respect.
The second is John’s compassion. In our profession, we often occupy a front row seat to life’s tragedies and constant displays of man’s inhumanity to man. Despite policing in five separate decades, he never succumbed to cynicism or distrust. There are so many instances where John displayed his enormous compassion. I don’t dare to guess how many wakes and funerals John attended on his own time to comfort and encourage the families of victims; or the lives of children he touched when he placed them on his Harley with his golden helmet perched upon their little heads.
John’s sense of community is another area I would like to touch on. John regarded the OPP as a valuable and important institution in the communities in which he lived and served. More than that he wanted to ensure he would be as fine a member of the OPP as he could possibly be. To even the most casual of observers one could tell when dealing with John that he loved his work and excelled at it.
Of all of the things I have said so far, they are simply a prelude to the characteristic my fellow officers and I admire the most about John. And that was his courage… his courage to never compromise his ethics and beliefs, his courage to protect the weak and vulnerable and his courage to believe his contributions did make a difference.
John’s life ended tragically. He was assigned to what should have been a routine day of public safety and traffic control. When his radio crackled out the details of a stolen jeep, John did not hesitate to respond to assist his brother and sister officers in an effort to protect the public. Without hesitation John straddled his beloved Harley and with his leather glistening and the sun beaming off his golden helmet he entered the fray.
John always showed tremendous courage, but he is my hero not for how he died but for how he lived. The circumstances surrounding John’s death leave all of us angry and confused. But these are not the emotions that John would want us to leave with. Regardless of the badge you carry or the duties you are assigned, I believe to truly honour John we must learn from how he lived rather then how he died. John can and will live on through us if we are willing to remember and emulate his character, compassion, sense of community and courage.
Finally, there is John…. a loving husband, a caring father, a doting grandfather and a terrific friend.
God speed, my friend.
Phil Shrive joined the Ontario Provincial Police family as a civilian CPIC Operator in 1972. A year later he became a Dispatcher. In September 1974, his older brother Paul Shrive, a regular member of the OPP, proudly presented Phil with his badge and warrant card as he put on a uniform and became a Constable. He went to his first posting at Sioux Lookout Detachment.
He was transferred to Downsview Detachment and rode the Harley’s while he performed the duties of motorcycle traffic enforcement. Phil worked diligently in Oak Ridges and Shelburne Detachments doing general patrol duties.
In 1989, he went back up North and worked in South Porcupine Detachment as a Court Officer, District OMPPAC Coordinator and RIDE. While in old 15 District, he was also a Project Coordinator in the Crime Unit. Here he began his direct involvement in the Ontario Provincial Police Association Executive.
Phil focused on a specialized unit in 1991 and was a member of the Technical Identification Unit until 1996.
In 1996, Phil was transferred to West Carleton Detachment. There he continued his involvement in the Association and was a Community Services Officer, Marine Operator, PACT lecturer and media spokesperson for the Detachment.
Upon the closing of West Carleton in 1999, he transferred to Renfrew where he continued to work with the community.
Phil was a licensed fixed wing pilot, an active radio control model aircraft builder and enthusiast, and for six years, from 1993-2003, served as a Branch President of the Ontario Provincial Police Association until his death. Phil’s friendship and dedication will be missed greatly by the many peers whom he worked with and helped throughout the years.
Phil is survived by his wife Karen and children Neil, Karen, Graham and Rebecca.
Margaret Eve was born on July 29, 1962. She was one of six children with two brothers and three sisters. She knew from a very early age that she wanted to become an Ontario Provincial Police Officer. With the goal of achieving her dream, Marg enrolled in a three year Criminology and Law Enforcement program at Conestoga College in Kitchener where she graduated in 1982.
After graduation, Marg served as an Auxiliary Constable in Sebringville. On October 28, 1985 her dream was fulfilled and she started as a Provincial Constable at the Sombra Detachment. She served two summer stints at the Grand Bend Summer Detachment in 1988 and ’89. On August 15, 1994 she was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to the Chatham Communications Centre.
During here time in the Comm. Centre she also received other assignments. She was instrumental in organizing and setting up the Western Region Traffic Team. She was also assigned to investigate historic sexual assaults on Walpole Island First Nation Territory.
On 26 July 1999 she was transferred to the Chatham-Kent Detachment as a Team Leader.
During her career with the OPP, Margaret was a Coach Officer, she was a qualified Radar Instructor and she was also trusted for some of the most stressful and personal tasks that our officers could be involved with. She was a Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisor – which means that others could call her confidentially for advice. She was trusted, and many people confided in her and asked her for direction. Margaret was also a Crisis Negotiator – she dealt with others in the most stressful times and tried to reason with them and encourage them.
Margaret always had a positive attitude and could make the best out of any situation. She’s received many, many tributes and accolades from members of the community thanking her for her excellent investigations, but most of all her compassion in dealing with victims, as well of offenders.
Margaret was an incredible person and a true leader. She lived by two mottoes, the first being “Lead by Example” – and she did. The second was “Do it Right or not at all” – and when she did something, it was done right. Much of Margaret’s success was because others quickly recognized that she was genuine and sincere.
She served on the Executive of Branch No. 1 of the O.P.P. Association as Treasurer for nine years. She was a strong advocate of doing what was right for our members and it was very important to her that they were always treated fairly and with dignity and respect.
On the afternoon of June 7, 2000, on a deadly stretch of Highway #401 (known as “Carnage Alley”) in Chatham-Kent, Sergeant EVE made the ultimate sacrifice.
That afternoon, Sergeant Eve along with Constables Brad Sakalo and Patti Pask, checked a vehicle that was suspected to have been involved in an armed robbery in Windsor. While talking with the occupants of the car, a driver of a transport truck, drove directly into the three police cruisers, the suspect vehicle and all 5 people standing on the shoulder of the Highway. All were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Margaret was air lifted to the Trauma Unit at the London Health Sciences Centre.
For two days family and friends kept vigil, hoping and praying, while Margaret fought for her life. Unfortunately, on June the 9th, 2000 at 12:03 p.m., she lost that fight and died of a massive brain injury, which she could not recover from.
Approximately 4,500 police officers and civilians attended the funeral service, held in an arena, which was prepared as a Catholic Church. The truck driver was charged with Criminal Negligence Causing Death and other related charges.
Margaret was always full of energy and excitement. She loved to have fun and laugh. She was a strong, confident woman, but at the same time was full of emotion. She was a natural leader. She served the citizens of Ontario with dignity and honour and was very proud to wear the O.P.P. uniform. Margaret was a tall, beautiful woman, with a big warm smile, a wonderful sense of humour, and an enduring laugh.
Margaret’s love of the O.P.P. was only surpassed by her love for her family. They were her first priority and she loved them deeply. Her husband John, and her children Ryan (age 7) and Colleen (age 3) were her pride and joy. She was very proud of them.
Margaret was a hero in life and in death. While we suffered a great loss, six people, somewhere, received the ultimate gift, the gift of life, through the Organ Donor Program. One was a young baby who received a life saving second chance. Margaret lives on – and that’s not surprising.
Margaret was a wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, a good friend to many, a police sergeant, a fraternal sister, and a very special person indeed. She touched many people in many different ways and has left a void that will never be filled. We will miss her.
Jim McFadden was born on May 16, 1950 and he attended Ancaster High School. He continued his education at Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology. He then worked as a photography and dark room technician with the Grey County Board of Education and also took a course in driving heavy trucks.
He developed an interest in police work and became a constable with Metropolitan Toronto. After fifteen months with the city, he decided to try for a position with the OPP and was accepted on June 30, 1975.
He began his first posting with the Parry Sound detachment. He spent twelve good years in the Parry Sound area and was able to secure a posting to Chatham where family and friends were located. Here Jim became a traffic officer on Highway 401, the busiest traffic artery in Canada.
Jim’s mechanical inclination stood him in good stead when he worked as a breathalyzer coordinator at the Centre for Forensic Sciences in Toronto in 1991. The following year he worked on Project Front Door, a joint forces initiative in Windsor-Essex, which resulted in a commendation from the city’s police chief.
On December 31, 1999 Constable McFadden was working the day shift on traffic patrol east of Chatham. The veteran officer was careful in his work, as he knew twenty-eight people had been killed in traffic accidents on the busy highway between London and Chatham in the past year. He saw a car with Michigan licence plates speeding east and pulled the violator over.
At 4:20 p.m. the OPP vehicle with its warning lights activated, was parked behind the American while Constable McFadden wrote the ticket. The roadway was dry and clear and was also equipped with rumble strips to warn motorists if they were straying from the paved portion of the road. At that point a thirty-four-year-old resident of Essex came up behind the two stopped vehicles and rammed the cruiser from behind. The impact shot the police car into the vehicle ahead. One occupant of that car was injured. The OPP officer was dead at the scene and the driver who was the cause of the accident was slightly injured.
James McFadden was survived by his wife and two children.
Chuck Mercier was born in Welland where he attended Ecole Secondaire Welland. There he achieved letter status on the basketball and volleyball teams. He was president of the student council. His next aim was to be accepted by the OPP and this was achieved on September 8, 1986.
His first posting was Kapuskasing in northeastern Ontario. After his duration posting, Chuck transferred to Welland and later to the Niagara Falls detachment in 1994. For three years he was a designated shift leader and anxious for promotion. His record contained several commendations for work in francophone services and in promoting and teaching the VIP programme aimed at senior elementary students. He worked in his association as branch secretary.
Toward the end of September 1999 the Mercier family were anticipating moving into a new home. So it was then when Chuck had the opportunity to get some paid duty and earn money towards the cost of their home, he signed up to work.
On the morning of September 30, he was assigned to safeguarding and directing traffic at a construction site on the Queen Elizabeth Way. His location was the right shoulder of the eastbound lane near the base of the Garden City Skyway in St. Catharines. Just after eight a.m. Constable Mercier was in his marked cruiser with a raised rooftop activated flashing arrow sign.
A cube van crossed from the passing lane and ploughed into the rear of the highly visible police car. The car was pushed 132 feet into a ditch between the highway and Dunkirk Road. The OPP vehicle was wedged under the truck. The driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. The thirteen-year veteran police officer died.
Chuck Mercier is survived by his wife and two children.
Keith Badger was born on October 5, 1956. He went to school in Owen Sound at West Hill Secondary School. Keith decided quite early that he wanted to go into policing when he worked at his parents gas station pumping gas as he met members of the OPP while servicing cruisers, as well as the cars of off duty officers.
Detective Constable Badger joined the OPP on September 10, 1979 and worked first in Downsview. While Keith did a much-appreciated imitation of the characters in the TV detective show Barney Miller to amuse colleagues, he also began to gain notice in real criminal work. He received commendation from Commissioner O’Grady for intervention in a criminal offence in Mississauga while off duty. He received approbation for his above-average knowledge and skill in criminal work.
In May of 1998 he became a detective constable and went to the Caledon Crime Unit. He became the lead officer on the Robbery Response Team and the group achieved a one hundred percent clearance rate.
On December 9, 1998 D/Constable Badger had every reason to feel satisfied. He had just concluded a lengthy murder investigation and made an arrest. At this point the highly successful career of the nineteen-year veteran came to a close. He was involved in a motor vehicle collision on a side road west of Toronto while driving an unmarked OPP vehicle. He died at the scene of the accident.
Keith Badger was survived by his wife.
Tom Coffin was born in Toronto on March 17, 1965, and got into police work by the time he was eighteen. He became an auxiliary member of the Alliston Police Force in 1983 and stayed until able to secure a constable’s position with the Kirkland Lake Police in 1986. After five years, he made a move to be near the area he knew so well and joined the Penetanguishene Police in 1991.
Tom had always been in sportsman and athlete; while in high school he played hockey, football and wrestled. Wherever he lived after that the young police officer became involved in community sports. He was the head coach of the Penetanguishene Kings Junior C Hockey Club.
In March 1996, the Penetanguishene Police were disbanded and the OPP took over policing the area. Tom elected to stay in the same area and soon received very positive comments on his work.
On April 24, 1996, Constable Coffin was on duty when he observed a motorist he suspected to be under the influence of alcohol. Subsequently, the man was charged and found guilty of impaired driving. This man had been a former chair of the local Police Services Board and had made convincing threats that he would kill the officer for arresting and charging him.
A year later, on May 31, 1997, Tom Coffin and his friend had just finished their afternoon shift and gone for a drink at a local hotel in Penetanguishene. At about twelve-thirty a.m. they stood there talking when a man walked up through the throng of people and, without saying a word, shot Constable Coffin in the back of the head, killing him instantly.
The esteem and respect in which Tom was held was manifested in various ways. In Kirkland Lake, the OPP dedicated their Special Olympics Torch Run to his memory. In his hometown, there is a hockey cup named for him. The annual Tom Coffin Memorial Golf Tournament in aid of Big Brothers is a popular event. The Kings changed their sweater colours to reflect his suggestions and the first one was retired and raised at the arena in his memory. Children enjoy the playground dedicated to Tom Coffin and the bench with his name on it.
Tom is survived by his wife and three children.
Michael Walter Gula was born in May 23, 1943, and joined the OPP on October 10, 1967. He had twenty-nine years service and was ready to turn in his warrant card for the one that has “retired” stamped across it. He spent eighteen years working out of the St. Catharines OPP Detachment, with occasional stints of summer duty at Grand Bend. The officer whose detachment commander called “a touch of sunshine” came to the Niagara OPP office in 1985.
At work he was called with respect “King of the Highway”. It was an apt title, for Mike has spent most of his working life keeping busy highways safe and well policed.
On April 2, 1996 while patrolling the Queen Elizabeth Way northbound in Niagara Falls. Constable Gula observed another highway cruiser stopped with a female motorist. He stopped and activated his roof lights to complement those of the other cruiser. Suddenly, as Gula stood on the shoulder of the road talking to the other officer through the car window, a sport utility truck struck him from behind. The officer was thrown against the cruiser and then projected into the passing lane of busy highway. The other officer dragged him clear off the road. The offending vehicle took off without stopping. Constable Gula was taken to hospital where he died of a broken neck and massive internal injuries.
Mike had earned the Police Exemplary Service Medal in addition to his Long Service Award. A plaque honours him at the Niagara detachment office. Mike had applied for retirement and his last day of work would have been in five months time on October 31, 1996.
It was estimated that twelve hundred police from across the continent came to the funeral held in St. Catharines. Mike is survived by his wife and four grown up children.
Ken Roy was born on September 6, 1968 and he went to Ecole Secondaire Theriault in Timmins. He came from a family of twelve children and sports were very important to the northeastern Ontario nature. He played baseball and hockey and was a hockey coach. Ken left his hometown to attend college in Ottawa but he had the good fortune to come back to work.
He was appointed to the OPP on February 5, 1990. He worked in Rockland for two years before moving to South Porcupine. Ken was active in sports with young people and became part of the Adopt-A-Cop programme and even had the ambition to be involved with a partner in a business called Roy’s Sports Warehouse.
On the morning of Tuesday, May 23, 1995 Constable Roy returned from working the weekend with the RIDE programme in Chapleau. The officer was travelling on Highway 101 and near Foleyet. It was raining lightly when he rounded a curve in the highway that was known to be difficult to drive and the car went out of control. The 1992 Crown Victoria police cruiser struck an empty lumber truck. The impact was such that the police car was torn into three pieces and pinned under the front axle of the truck. Constable Roy was killed in the crash.
Ken Roy is survived by his wife and daughter.