Hicks was born on April 4, 1944 and attended high school in Burks Falls. Shortly after leaving school, Tom joined the OPP on October 5, 1965 where he spent all of his time policing in the Sudbury area. Tom preferred living in Northern Ontario because he loved the climate.

Tom was appreciated for his work as a highway traffic officer. He impressed an American traveler who was sideswiped during a northern visit. Tom Hicks set out and found the suspect vehicle within two days. The delighted traveler stated that it was refreshing to see a man so dedicated to his profession.

Tom was active in the local Home and School and was a strong supporter of his children’s participation in several minor sports in their community. He enjoyed canoeing and camping with his family during his free time.

On November 7, 1980 while working the evening shift, Constable Hicks was dispatched to the Naughton Indian Reserve to look into an occurrence involving an attempted suicide. While driving on Highway 17 through the outskirts of Copper Cliff at the Power Line Road, a drunk driver turned left in front of the cruiser striking it. The drunk driver and his passenger were injured in the crash and Constable Hicks suffered fatal injuries.

Tom was taken to Sudbury Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Hicks family held a private funeral for the thirty-six year old officer and he was laid to rest at the Waters Cemetery in Walden. A plaque honouring his OPP services in hanging at the Sudbury OPP Detachment.

Later, Tom’s wife wrote to Commissioner Harold Graham stating, “During the moments of loneliness since his death, I have come to appreciate the companionship of the members of the Force and their wives.”

At six feet and two inches tall, George BENNETT was an imposing figure in his OPP uniform. He was equally impressive in his ceremonial dress as a member of the Force Pipe and Drum Band.

George Bennett was born on June 26, 1945 and lived in Mississauga before moving to Midland where he attended high school. While enrolled at Midland Secondary School, he excelled in industrial arts.

Bennett spent a brief time as a cadet with the Metropolitan Toronto Police before joining the OPP as a constable on June 30, 1975. During his first year on the Force, George served at the Brechin Detachment before transferring to Orillia.

By and large, George’s duties included general duties and traffic work and he had taken the snowmobile operator’s course. His experience with snow machines was limited to a few weeks per year at country property protection and winter sports events, as he did not own a snow vehicle of his own.

Constable George Bennett and Constable Jim Hewitt worked together in 1980 conducting routine snow vehicle cottage checks. Hewitt was an experienced snowmobile operator with ten years of driving experience under his belt. On February 12, the two officers were about twelve miles north of Orillia on Severn Road where they were assigned to check local vacation properties. They were also conducting routine surveillance at the Swift Rapids Power Plant. The two officers drove their OPP snow machines north towards Severn River. The sun was bright and the temperature was mild. The conditions were perfect for snowmobiling through the bush. At about eleven forty-five in the morning, the two officers passed into Matchedash Township. At approximately 12 noon, Constable Bennett crested a hill and rounded a corner. His snow machine struck a rock on the side of the road, catapulting him from his machine and disengaging his helmet. He struck a large boulder then landed on the ground.

Hewitt rushed to his partner’s aid but was forced to leave him to get help. Upon his return, he found Bennett’s condition had deteriorated. Hewitt performed CPR on his partner to no avail. George Bennett succumbed to his injuries at twelve- fifteen p.m. from massive internal injuries to his chest. The damage to his snow machine was limited even though it traveled without a rider for about seventy-eight feet following the impact.

Members of the OPP Pipe and Drum Band were pallbearers at George’s funeral. The police presence for the ceremony in Barrie was overwhelming. George was laid to rest at St. Andrew’s Cemetery.

In a letter to the Commissioner, George’s parents passed on a message to all those who knew and worked with their son. They stated that they felt proud to know that their son had been associated with such a fine body of police officers.

Duncan McAleese was born on September 20, 1946. In November 1972 he joined the Ontario Provincial Police serving initially at Milton and then at Acton where, in 1975, in commemoration of twenty-five years of O.P.P. policing, the community named all the O.P.P. officers at Acton, including Duncan, Citizens of the Year.

Duncan moved to Simcoe Detachment in 1976. On January 23, 1980, Constable McAleese was to meet with a man who had information about some drug activity. Constable McAleese knew the man as he had arrested him for impaired driving almost one year previously.

The informant didn’t show up at the restaurant at the scheduled time, but when Constable McAleese was preparing to leave, he saw the man’s truck and approached it and spoke to him. The informant then fired nine shots at Constable McAleese, hitting him the head, chest and stomach, and drove away, running over the fallen officer and dragging him for a short distance before fleeing.

Duncan McAleese was pronounced dead at the hospital. A memorial plaque was placed at the Simcoe Detachment in honour of Constable Duncan McAleese.

Robert Bruce Mitchell had been convicted of impaired driving. He was arrested four hours later after smashing the truck into a hydro pole. He was charged with first degree murder. Mitchell was found not guilty by reason of insanity in court in Newmarket in 1981. He was ordered held at the Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre.

His wife and three children survived Duncan McAleese.

Paul Patterson may have felt a calling to a career in policing. His great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and a brother all entered the police profession.

Paul joined the Ontario Provincial Police in March 1977 at Oak Ridges Detachment.

On October 28,1978 Constable Patterson observed a vehicle being driven in an unsafe manner at a high rate of speed. He proceeded to pursue the vehicle. The occupants abandoned the vehicle on the road just below the crest of a hill. Paul Patterson came over the hill and on spotting the car, attempted to avoid it but lost control of his cruiser. The cruiser rolled over as it went into the ditch. Constable Patterson was found unconscious in the cruiser and later, died of his injuries.

Paul Patterson was survived by his wife, and his immediate family.

1 years service plus previous service as a Police Cadet with Metro Toronto 

On the night of October 12, 1977 , Sergeant McKean and his partner Constable Cliff Lipsett received information concerning an escapee from Warkworth Penitentiary, Gerald Chater. The report indicated that the escapee and a friend were seen loitering near the main entrance of the Anchor Inn. The friend was William Fredrick who had escaped from Collins Bay Maximum Security Federal Prison. He and Chater had committed a knife point robbery of the Collingwood Gas Station on October 10, 1977 . Fredrick subsequently purchased a 12 gauge shotgun which he sawed off. They were waiting for a cab with the intent of commandeering it and going to Peterborough to commit more robberies. Upon arrival the officer decided to approach from different directions. Sergeant McKean arrived first and came face to face with the suspects; grabbed one with each had by the scruff of the neck and began to walk them towards the cruiser. Chater broke away and fled and a scuffle took place with Fredrick who drew the shotgun from his pants, placed the muzzle against the Sergeant’s chest, pulled the trigger and killed him instantly. He then fled the scene and was arrested the next day.

Postscript
On September 19, 1978 , William Fredrick pled guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole for 25 years. In 1989, Fredrick commenced an early release application, under the provisions of Section 745 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The provision allows first degree murderers to apply for parole after 15 years. When he became eligible, Fredrick re-applied for an early release. and in October of 1996 the hearing proceeded. The hearing lasted three weeks and submitted the family of Sergeant McKean; his wife Ann and their three children, Elizabeth, Trevor and Christopher through the pain and anguish that Ann had gone through nineteen years before. The jury denied the application forcing Fredrick to complete his sentence. The Canadian Police Association has led a fight to have Section 745 repealed on behalf of the families of the victims.

Ron Lee was born on December 29, 1935. He joined the Ontario Provincial Police as a Provincial Constable in November 1957 and spent his career in the north at Sault Ste. Marie, Blind River, Elliot Lake (Municipal), Montreal River, and White River Detachments. On moving from White River to Dowling Detachment, Ron was promoted to Corporal.

On the evening of August 28, 1976, to assist with the large volume of traffic coming from the local racetrack, Corporal Lee was directing traffic onto Highway 144 when an impaired driver struck him, resulting in the officer’s death.

A plaque is located in the Sudbury Court House in memory of Ron Lee.

Ron Lee was survived by his father.

Don (Donald) Irwin’s career with the Ontario Provincial Police started on April 8, 1958. He worked at Toronto and then Peterborough. He was promoted to Corporal in 1969 when he transferred to Kitchener.

While on vacation in 1974, Don and his wife befriended a Florida Highway Patrol officer and his wife. During another vacation in 1976, during a vacation with the Florida family, Don was given permission to ride along with the Highway Patrol officer during his shift. They came across an old car parked in a rest area on the interstate highway. On checking the vehicle, they discovered a couple of men, a woman and two young children and spotted a pistol which the Highway Patrol officer confiscated. After a record check and request for backup, both officers approached the vehicle. The Highway Patrol officer successfully handcuffed the driver. However, the woman and the other man both opened fired on the officers, killing them.

The rest area on the interstate highway was named in honour of Corporal Donald Irwin and the Florida Highway Patrol officer.

His wife and their three children survived Don Irwin.

Randy (Randolph) Chatterson was born in January 1950. He joined the Ontario Provincial Police on June 14, 1971 serving at Chatham and Forest Detachments.

On May 2, 1975, Constable Randy Chatterson and Constable Garry MacDonald were on night shift as partners. Shortly after leaving the Detachment, they were involved in a head-on collision with a transport truck. The cruiser was then was run over by the truck and dragged a fair distance down the highway. It was totally demolished. Randy Chatterson and Garry MacDonald were killed instantly. 

The driver of the truck was convicted of dangerous driving, fined $1,200 and received a three month license suspension.

Randy Chatterson was survived by his wife and one son.

Garry MacDonald was born on July 8, 1943. He joined the Ontario Provincial Police in the late 1960’s.

On May 2, 1975, Constable Garry MacDonald and Constable Randy Chatterson were on night shift as partners. Shortly after leaving the Detachment, they were involved in a head-on collision with a transport truck. The cruiser was then run over by the truck and dragged a fair distance down the highway. It was totally demolished. Garry MacDonald and Randy Chatterson were killed instantly.

Garry MacDonald was survived by his wife and their two daughters.

Alan joined the Ontario Provincial Police in November 1966 and was posted to Kemptville Detachment.

On March 31, 1975 Constable Thompson was in pursuit of a speeding vehicle which he followed over the train tracks just south of Kemptville. A freight train on a regular run was just approaching the unmarked crossing. The vehicle being pursued passed over the crossing, however, the cruiser carrying Constable Thompson was hit by the passing train and dragged for several yards.

Alan Thompson was gravely injured and trapped in his vehicle for some time. Alan did not survive his injuries.

Alan Thompson was survived by his wife and their two children. He was thirty-five years of age.

On April 24, 2015, a little more than forty years after his death, Constable Thompson was honoured with a permanent memorial, a bridge dedicated in his honour at Highway 416 Canadian Pacific Railway overpass. Signs have been erected on both sides of the bridge in Kemptville for all motorists to see while passing through the area. This bridge dedication and all others like it, act as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women of the Ontario Provincial Police and honour their dedication in serving the people of the Province of Ontario.