ANNUAL REPORTCounty of Wellington O.P.P.www.wellington.on.ca or www.opp.ca

Constable David GrayO.P.P. Snowmobile Patrol

On behalf of the WellingtonCounty Police Services Board andthe members of the WellingtonCounty O.P.P., it is my pleasure topresent our 2008 Annual Reportto you, the citizens of WellingtonCounty. This report outlines ourmany successes as well as ourfailures this past year. I encourageyou to read this report andquestion the members on theactivities of your police service.Your input and feedback is important. We are here to serve you; toprovide Safe Communities and a Secure Ontario.

On February 11, 2009, I presented our final “Results Driven Policing”results to the Wellington County Police Services Board. In preparingsame, we noted the calls for service are increasing a little each year. The3-year average for calls for service is 21,890; ranging from 20,677 in2006 to 22,586 in 2008.

The Statistics Canada definition of violent crime includes homicides,attempted murder, robbery, sexual assault, other sexual offences,assaults and abduction. In Wellington County, the two predominantcrimes are assault and sexual assault.

Assaults 2006 - 250, 2007 - 241, 2008 - 252Sexual Assaults 2006 -47, 2007 - 36, 2008 - 36

Unfortunately, domestic assaults are an area experiencing significantgrowth. Our occurrences for 2008 were 226 up from 212 occurrencesthe year before.

Property crime too is an area of growing concern. Our mischief relatedoccurrences are up to 554 occurrences from 498 last year. Thefts underoccurrences are down though, 463 occurrences from 542.

Thefts from motor vehicles continue to be a serious problem.We are promoting the ‘Lock it or Lose It’ program.

Break and enters increased marginally last year after a steady 5-yeardecline. 2006 – 330, 2007 – 274, 2008 – 288

Although some of these trends are disturbing, a look at the Stats Canada2007 crime rates for Canada still show Wellington County is a safe placeto live.

We are making headway on our traffic issues / problems. Complaints aredown from a 5-year average of 4478.6 to 3882 in 2008. Your memberslaid 15,530 traffic related charges this past year.

Major headway was made inour motor vehicle collisions thisyear. 2008 saw a 10% reduc-

tion in the total number ofcollisions, but most

notably, a 24%decrease in fatalcollisions (18 colli-sions; 18 deaths)and a 33%decrease in per-sonal injury col-lisions. In 2008,14% of all colli-

sions resulted ininjury or deaths,down from 19% in2007. Overall itappears that

motorists are slowingdown and paying atten-tion to their driving, atleast in 2008, but then Ican’t explain to you the228 people we arrestedfor impaired driving andthe 139 people wecharged under the new‘racing’ legislation.

In 2009, we will strive todo better. In closing I havea couple of comments I’d

like to make. 2009 has two major celebrations for the O.P.P. October15th marks our 100th Anniversary policing this great Province, andSeptember 9th marks the 10th Anniversary of policing this great County.I have had the privilege of being your Detachment Commander for thisentire period, but that too will change. On February 11th I advised theWellington County Police Services Board I am retiring from the OP.P. thisyear. My last working day was on February 27th. My last actual day isJune 30th.

The Wellington County Police Services Board has signed a new 5-yearagreement with the O.P.P. for policing, which runs through to December31st, 2013. The process is underway to choose your new DetachmentCommander. In the interim, Inspector Mark VanLanduyt from GreyCounty will fulfill my duties.

It has been a great time for me personally to serve you since WellingtonCounty chose the O.P.P. as your police service of choice.

Thank you.

As Commissioner of the OntarioProvincial Police (O.P.P.), I am onceagain very pleased to providecomments for inclusion in theCounty of Wellington O.P.P. 2008Annual Report.

This year is most exciting for theO.P.P. as it celebrates its 100thAnniversary of serving the peopleof Ontario, the official anniversarydate being October 13, 2009.

Throughout this year, a number of events and celebrations are plannedto take place across the province, and I urge you to take part incelebrations being held in or near your community. The first signatureevent, which was launched on a frosty day in February, was theCommemorative Patrol of Northern Ontario. Two officers touredNorthern communities by dog sled while using traditional gearreminiscent of earlier times. This expedition was to replicate the hardshipand challenges of police patrol of yesteryear.

Additional plans are underway for a “Centennial Tattoo” being held onSeptember 12, 2009. This will be a spectacular site of military and policepipes and drums and brass bands. Many other O.P.P. events are plannedin celebration of the O.P.P.’s anniversary year, and I encourage you to visitthe 100th Anniversary website at www.opp100.ca for further details.

The County of Wellington Police Services Board developed an impressive100th Anniversary calendar to acknowledge the centenary. This is anexcellent opportunity to support a very important program and with allproceeds going to the Crime Stoppers program. I hope you will acquirea copy.

The O.P.P. continues to enforce the laws on many fronts. Its membershave participated in significant joint force operations that have sent clearmessages to criminals that we will not tolerate illegal activities in ourneighbourhoods. Improving community safety is one of our highestpriorities.

Traffic enforcement is a main focus of the O.P.P., and I am pleased toacknowledge that fatalities are down throughout the province,comparing 2008 statistics from those of 2007. The County of Wellingtonhas experienced a reduction in fatalities, and I commend you for yourcontributions in keeping your communities safe. I believe that publiceducation and traffic enforcement measures are working. There is,however, much more work to be done, as every death on our roadways,trails and waterways, is one too many.

As you are aware, the County of Wellington Police Services Boardrecently renewed its contract with the O.P.P. You may be assured for thenext five years and, hopefully, for many more years to come, the O.P.P.will continue to provide your communities with the best and the mosteffective and efficient policing service possible. We will work with you toensure that your neighbourhoods remain safe to raise your families.

The O.P.P. has come a long way since 1909, and it is my great honour tolead this progressive, professional and diverse police service.

Yours truly,

Julian FantinoCommissioner,Ontario Provincial Police

COMMISSIONERJULIAN FANTINO

INSPECTORSTEVE WALSH

COMMANDERRON GENTLE

POLICE SERVICES BOARD

On behalf of the Wellington County Police Services Board I am honouredto again bring greetings as the Chairperson. It is a privilege for me toserve in this position for the third year. This year marks the first year of anew 5 year contract between the Wellington County Police ServicesBoard and the Ontario Provincial Police. There were many hours ofdiscussion put forth and I believe we have negotiated the best contractto serve the people in Wellington County. We have a full board this yearconsisting of Jim Connell as Vice Chairman, Provincial Appointees RussSpicer and Linda Austin and our Warden, Joanne Ross-Zui.

The 2008 contract with the O.P.P., valued at approximately $11.6million comprises 95% of policing costs in the County.

The balance of costs cover facilities owned by the County, in Rockwood,Fergus and Palmerston (totaling $600,000 including debt servicing costsof $360,000 for the Rockwood building), the cost of the Police ServicesBoard, as well as parking and false alarm by-law administration.Revenue includes parking tickets and false alarm fees ($112,000combined total), and various administration fees approved by the Boardsuch as reference checks, accident and insurance reports and paid dutyfees (combined total of $88,000). Provincial funding comes in the formof a Community Policing Partnership grant ($30,000), a R.I.D.E. programgrant ($25,000) and funding for 6 officers under the “1000 officers”programme ($180,000).

Some of the highlights of the new contract include the expansion of theD.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program for every grade 6class in Wellington County.

This year 3 police constables will be teaching this program to 305 grade6 students in the Arthur, Kenilworth, Erin and Puslinch Public Schools. Itis an informative and exciting course for the students.

The board also negotiated two (2) Civilian Data Entry Clerk positions tofree up valuable time the officers spend on completing paperwork. Thisallows the officers to get back on the streets to do what they do best;ensure our public safety.

We will continue to add two (2) new officers each year. As the countypopulation grows, so does the need for more officers. For 2009, we willalso add two Special Constables full time in the courts, and because ofthat we will add only one uniformed officer for regular duty this year. Byadding Special Constables to the courts, valuable officer time will befreed up so they can be out on the street instead of in the courts.

I am very excited to tell you that the planning for the proposed newpolice facility for Centre Wellington has been moved up one year. Siteselection and initial design work will commence this year, and designcompletion and tenders will be called for in 2010. The facility will becompleted in 2011 with an anticipated cost of $6 million. This is afacility that has been required for many years.

It was with regret that we accepted the resignation of our Inspector SteveWalsh as of February 28th, 2009. Inspector Walsh has served thisCounty in his leadership role with integrity and dedication over the lastten years and it will be a difficult task to replace him.

Please remember that your Police Officers and your Police Services Boardare here to serve your best interests, so please do not hesitate to contactany of us if you have an issue regarding policing in the wonderfulcounty we call home.

Regards,Lynda WhiteChairperson, Wellington County Police Service Board

As the newly appointed Commanderof Western Region for the OntarioProvincial Police I am pleased that myfirst public address is to the citizensof Wellington County. Since begin-ning this newest chapter in my careerI have had the pleasure of visiting theRockwood office and meeting themen and women who work from thatlocation. It is one of the finest and

well laid out buildings I have seen and I know the members are proud ofthe facility.

Inspector Steve Walsh and I have known each other for a number ofyears and he has always taken the opportunity to remark on the greatlevel of support he and the members of the Wellington Detachmentreceive from the various communities and the Police Services Board.Many of you may know that Inspector Walsh has decided to retire fromthe O.P.P. after almost 34 years of policing. He has committed himself tothe delivery of excellence in policing service as the detachment com-mander of Wellington County and I want to acknowledge and thankSteve for his dedication and commitment. On behalf of all the membersof the O.P.P. in Western Region I wish Steve and Linda a very long,healthy and happy retirement.

The first police services board to contact me in my new role was theWellington County P.S.B. We will be meeting in early March to ensure aquick process in the selection of a new detachment commander toensure the level of service and accountability are not compromised.The board and I will work together in selecting and assisting the newdetachment commander to ensure a seamless transition.

A new five year contract for the delivery of policing services was signedrecently and I believe the level of services provided to the communitiesby the members of the detachment will be enhanced significantly.Members of the Western Region Headquarters will continue to supportthe detachment and work with the Police Services Board to ensure theexpectations of the Board and County are realized.

We will continue to ensure that our roads, trails and waterways are assafe as they can be through visible, directed patrols and meaningfulenforcement. Our commitment to ensure safe communities, to preservelife and protect property will always be the focus of our business plansand operational goals and in our daily work. In an era of economic insta-bility we must be ever mindful of ensuring both operational and admin-istrative efficiencies are achieved in all we do. The next few years will bechallenging, however I believe, through the excellent relationshipsbuilt between communities, the Police Services Board and thedetachment members, we are well positioned for success.

In our 100th year of policing in Ontario we in the O.P.P. remember ourpast, honour those who have come before us and look forward tocontinued excellence in policing in over 300 communitiesacross the province.

Ron GentleCommander, Western Region, Ontario Provincial Police

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HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM

TRIBUTES

The Wellington County SchoolResource Officer Program is one ofthe most comprehensive beingoffered anywhere in the Province.Wellington County has four highschools within its boundaries:1) Norwell District High Schoollocated in Palmerston;2) Wellington Heights SecondarySchool in Mt. Forest;3) Erin District High School inErin;4) Centre WellingtonSecondary Schoollocated in Fergus.

The officers that take care of theseschools are Const. AndyCLEMENTS, Const. CarmenBLACK, Const. Randy SCHUBERTand Const. Steve SMITH.

Together these officers areresponsible for over thirty six hun-dred (3,600) students. The positive

interaction that occurs betweenthe officers, students and staff isinvaluable for creating a positiveschool environment.

Sgt. Robyn MacEACHERN is theO.P.P.'s Youth Issues Coordinator,and one of the people responsiblefor orchestrating the SchoolOfficer Program now being taughtat the Ontario Police College.

When officers from WellingtonCounty attended this week longprogram, they were held up as theexample of what this Program hasto offer. Officers from MetroToronto, Hamilton Wentworth andYork Regional Police Serviceswere all in attendance and hadjust began to implement thisvery important community policeinitiative.

Andy CLEMENTS P/Const. #10141

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On Wednesday, May 28th, 2008,the annual Western Region O.P.P.Awards ceremony was held at theStone Tree Inn in Owen Sound,Ontario. Local officers and citizensreceived recognition for years ofservice and for acts of valor.

Deputy Commissioner Chris LEWISand Chief Superintendent BillDENNIS were present to hand outthe awards and congratulate therecipients.

Constables Robert BORTOLATOand Kathleen CARBERRY receiveda Commissioner’s Commendationfor entering several burning build-ings in Fergus on March 18th,2007 and evacuating the resi-dents. As a result of their actions,no one was injured in the blaze.

Constables Mark GRASMAN,James MACKENZIE and StevenSKANES received aCommissioner’s Citation forLifesaving and a St. John PrioryAward for saving the life of a sui-cidal female in Salem onSeptember 27th, 2007. The quickactions of officers saved a femalewho attempted to hang herself.Officers cut her down and provid-ed first aid until she was taken tohospital.

Constables David O’LEARY, StevenMAXWELL and Keith ROBBreceived a Commissioner’sCitation for Lifesaving and a St.John Priory Award for saving the

life of a man who fell through theice into the Grand River in Ferguson February 9th, 2007. They pro-vided first aid until he was trans-ported to hospital. Their quickactions saved the life of the manwho was suffering from extremehypothermia.

Four members of the County ofWellington O.P.P. received thePolice Exemplary Service medal.Constables Patrice GONZALEZand Laurie MUNRO as well asSergeants Patrick HORRIGAN andMichael GORDON received thisaward that recognizes they havecompleted 20 years of police serv-

ice in Canada. One member,Constable Gary SPROULE,received his Police ExemplaryService Bar. It recognizes that hehas completed 30 years of policeservice in Canada.

Auxiliary Staff Sergeant BruceMcGIMSIE of the County ofWellington O.P.P. Auxiliary Unitreceived two awards. He receiveda Commissioner’s Citation forBravery in relation to an incidentthat occurred on May 24th, 1996in Bissell Park. The volunteer offi-cer was working nights when theystumbled across some drug activi-ty. He pursued one of the suspects

and attempted to apprehend him.During the struggle, both partiesfell into the Grand River where thestruggle continued. The strugglelasted for 7-8 minutes in the frigidand fast running water. The officernearly drowned and suffered mul-tiple abrasions. The suspect waseventually able to escape.The officer also received aCommissioner’s Letter for an inci-dent on June 23rd, 1995 where heassisted an officer to disarm a sui-cidal female who was armed witha knife. His quick actions helpedprevent the female from injuringherself and the officer.

OFFICERSRECOGNIZED FOR

SERVICE AND VALOR

DRUG/ALCOHOL AWARENESS PROGRAM

“... Your dedication and sensitivity to the needs of ourcommunity are sincerely appreciated on a daily basis”

- Brian Mack

“... Lastly, the professionalism and dedication demonstrated byConstable(s) Beckon and Bortolato left a lasting impression witha grateful staff and their work on that evening speaks volumes

to the excellence of your service.”- Shawn McCowel and John J. Spatazzo

Catholic Youth Organization

“... I was recently made aware of your outstanding workapprehending an impaired driver. What I thought was good

work was clearly GREAT work ... Thanks for your dedication and for saving lives”

- Bill Grodzinski

“... Just want to say thank you for the lovely service andkindness while being at your station”

- Kellie Joyce

“... The impact that Constable Rogers has had on this student,as well as other students who have been easily influenced by

this child, has been marked and long-lasting.The direct and peripheral change at our school as a result ofConstable Rogers’ humble approach and manner has beenprofound, and I would like to take a moment to thank and

praise him for his expertise in managing and redirectingthis situation for this child, and for our shool.”- Jeff Crawford, Principal - Ross R. MacKay P.S.

“... Thank you for your concern and professionalism.I really appreciated your calming words of reassurance.

You truly made a difference in our lives today ...”- Theresa & Mike Darroch

“... A big thank you to Officer Rob Nixon and for all theofficer’s risking their own well being for us”

- Luciana Lagace

“He (Const. Sturgeon) took charge and called all theappropriate people required at a time like this and certainl y

made it much easier for my husband and Iat a very sad time for us”- Robert & Dorothy Purvis

PicturedConst. Steve Smith

Const. Carmen BLACKConst. Randy SCHUBERT Const. Andy CLEMENTS

The Minto Drug Committee ran aDrug/Alcohol awareness programin the fall of 2008. This programwas implemented at the NorwellDistrict Secondary School. ThePalmerston Public School, and theDrayton Public School.

The program was done in a varietyof workshops that the kidscould pick from. These includedeverything from how to makenon-alcoholic drinks for your partycalled mock-tails, to drug trivia, torole playing.

Cst. Ryan Martin from theWellington County Traffic Unitpresented a power pointpresentation on the dangers ofDrinking and Driving. He then hadsome students attend to the frontof the gym and with the assistanceof some gear he brought, theywere put through a series a tests

where their motor skills weretested, much to the delight of allthose in attendance.

This committee is made up of Cst.Andy Clements, Sgt. Warren Fink,Pat Savage who runs the HarristonDrop In Centre, Jill Hope YouthWorker Palmerston Public School,Brenda Aitken AddictionCounsellor, Kim Sonnett YouthWorker at Norwell SecondarySchool.

This year the group was fortunateenough to recieve a small grantfrom the Ontario Association OfChiefs of Police. The money wasused to purchase supplies for theworkshops. The group also hostedan open house for parents wherethey could get the information andtools to keep their kids on track.

Front row left to right is: Constable Keith ROBB, Constable Steve MAXWELL, Inspector Steve WALSH andConstable Mark GRASMAN. Centre row left to right is: Constable Patrice GONZALEZ, Constable JamesMACKENZIE, Constable Laurie MUNRO, Constable Kathleen CARBERRY and Auxiliary Staff Sergeant BruceMCGIMSIE. Back row left to right:Constable Robert BORTOLATO, Sergeant Patrick HORRIGAN, ConstableDave O’LEARY and Constable Steve SKANES.

COMMUNITYPARTNERS

partnering

helping

4

The Mapleton C.O.P.S group wasre-established in the fall of 2006and currently has 11 membersrepresenting the communities inthe Township of Mapleton. Sincethen, O.P.P. and Mapleton C.O.P.S.have continued to involve thecommunity through both reactiveand proactive policing strategieswhich include the identification ofcrime, traffic and social order prob-lems, safety and solutions. In theprocess and through a cooperativespirit, close mutually beneficial tiesare formed between police andcommunity and contribute to asafe society.

In 2007, the NeighbourhoodWatch Program was implementedand continues to promote crimeprevention awareness. This pro-gram continues to develop withinMapleton. In 2008, MapletonC.O.P.S., along with the County ofWellington O.P.P. Auxiliary Unitpromoted the ‘Lock It or Lose It’program. This program is designedto increase awareness and mini-mize thefts from vehicles as wellas mischief. Was your car tagged?The Committee welcomes inputfrom the community as to areaswhich we can focus our efforts.

Community Policing Philosophiesare the fundamental principles onwhich all of our policing servicesare delivered. These strategiesinclude the following:

Deliver responsive programs thataddress the needs of the commu-nities we serve by utilizing identi-fied concerns, expectations andneeds of the community.

Increase public awareness andconfidence through crime preven-tion through the promotion ofintervention programs such as‘Lock It or Lose It’ andNeighbourhood Watch.

Participate with other concernedagencies and interest groups toeffectively address police andcommunity issues by establishingan open, creative and responsiveworking environment.

And lastly ...use creativity in thedesign and application of commu-nity policing services.

This year millions of school chil-dren around the world will benefitfrom D.A.R.E. (Drug AbuseResistance Education), the highlyacclaimed program that gives kidsthe skills they need to avoidinvolvement in drugs, gangs,and violence. D.A.R.E. was found-ed in 1983 and is implemented inmore than 43 countries aroundthe world. D.A.R.E. is a policeofficer-led series of classroomlessons that teaches children fromkindergarten through 12th gradehow to resist peer pressureand live productive drug and

violence-free lives.

The D.A.R.E. curriculum isdesigned to be taught by policeofficers whose training and experi-ence has given them the back-ground needed to answer thesophisticated questions oftenposed by young students aboutdrugs and crime. Prior to enteringthe D.A.R.E. program, officersundergo 80 hours of special train-ing in areas such as child develop-ment, classroom management,teaching techniques, and commu-nication skills. 40 hours of addi-

tional training are provided toD.A.R.E. instructors to preparethem to teach the high school cur-riculum.

This year D.A.R.E. was offered toalmost 200 Erin Township Grade 6students thanks to the ErinOptimist Club. These studentsentered into the 10 week D.A.R.E.Program which was topped off bya special D.A.R.E. graduation thatwas attended by MP MichaelChong. 2009 marks the expansionof the D.A.R.E. Program to theTownship of Puslinch thanks to

the Puslinch Optimists Club.Approximately 60 grade 5 and 6students will be taught D.A.R.E. in2009 in Aberfoyle. D.A.R.E. is anon-profit organization that solelydepends on volunteer donations.Wellington County O.P.P. currentlyhas 4 trained D.A.R.E. Officers,that are ready to offer the D.A.R.E.Program throughout WellingtonCounty.

If you or your community groupwish to fund D.A.R.E. in your com-munity please contact County ofWellington O.P.P. Sergeant PatHorrigan at 519-843-4240.

“I found the P.A.C.T. program to be very educational. You havegiven us an up close look at your roles as police officers. I feelyou have given me an opportunity to learn about variousprograms within the O.P.P. and the organizations that workwith the O.P.P. on a day to day basis.

The content of the program was very interesting. There was awide variety of speakers and backgrounds. If I were to changeanything it would be the time restraints. I would have liked tohave had more time with some of the units. I thought the bestpart of the program was E.R.T. and Canine presentations. Itwas amazing to see and learn about the different equipmentand weapons each officer is responsible for.

Overall I thought it was an amazing experience and I hope thatmany more individuals in Wellington County take the opportu-nity to participate in future P.A.C.T. programs.” - Beth Mitchell

If you would like to participate in the Police and CommunityTogether program, a community information and educationseries, please call: Constable Andy Clements at the PalmerstonO.P.P., 519-343-5770.

The O.P.P. Summer Youth Camp was formed in 1998 by ChiefSuperintendent (retired), Robert Eamer. This Camp is a youth initiativeaimed at providing a once-in-a-lifetime camp opportunity for deservingyoung people across Ontario.

The camp brings police and youth together with the goal of creatingpositive police-youth relations in all the communities the O.P.P. serves.Forty two campers aged 11-12 are chosen from across the province bydetachment personnel. The camp is held at O.P.P. General Headquartersin Orillia where both campers and counsellors are guests of theProvincial Police Academy. Campers enjoy a week filled with fun teambuilding and self-esteem activities. A few of the activities the campersenjoyed were a Blue Jay game, Canada’s Wonderland, and attendinglocal beaches.

All counsellors are sworn police officers. When a camper leaves, it ishoped that they have gained a more positive view of policing and a newfriend in uniform.

Constables Tim Sturgeon and Bob Bortolato from the RockwoodDetachment attended the 2008 Summer Camp. Constable Bortolatosaid “The days were long but to see the kids smiling and having fun waswell worth it.”

Most campers did not realize that the counsellors were police officersuntil they marched into the dining hall on the last evening wearing thedress uniform. Constable Sturgeon said “The camp was extremely hardwork and enjoyable. I want to be a counsellor again.”

Back row:Jim Grose, Dennis Craven,

Ray Ellis, Mike Downey, Jim CurryFront row: P.C. Laura Gromeder,

John Green, Rick RichardsonAbsent: Tom Woods, Mark

Grasman, Scott Cooper

D.A.R.E. - DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION

MAPLETON C.O.P.S.COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING STRATEGIES

“SAFE COMMUNITIES A SECURE ONTARIO”

P.A.C.T. POLICE AND COMMUNITYTOGETHER

KIDS, COPS AND CANADIAN TIREFISHING DAYS PROGRAM

D.A.R.E. Graduation

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

O.P.P. SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

The Police Association of Ontario believes that our "Kids and Cops andCanadian Tire Fishing Days" is another example of community spirit. In2003 we partnered with Fishing Forever, a non-profit organization,whose principal focus is recreational fisheries conservation and securingthe future of fishing in Ontario. The P.A.O. has committed over two hun-dred thousand dollars to this program and to date have taken thousandsof young people fishing for the day with police personnel.

Canadian Tire, as the country's largest retailer of fishing equipment, isproud to be a founding partner in the Kids, Cops and Canadian TireFishing Days program. Research shows that childhood learning is the keyto developing an adult interest in fishing as well as acquiring other life-long practices. Fishing experiences encourage problem-solving and deci-sion-making skills, help children develop self-esteem and a respect fornature and the environment.

protecting

serving5

Because of Crime Stoppers$26,254,790 in recovered stolenproperty and illicit drugs are offour county’s streets and out of ourschools.

2,022 cases cleared and 3,339charges laid, the numbers speakfor themselves….

CRIME STOPPERS WORKS!!

Active in Wellington County since1988, CRIME STOPPERS plays animportant role 24 hours a day, 7days a week, 365 days a year in

every community within theCounty. CRIME STOPPERS ofWELLINGTON COUNTY is a non-profit charitable organization thatbrings the public, police, andmedia together in a joint effort tohelp solve crime in our communi-ties.

Anonymous Calls = Cash Rewards1-800-222-TIPS

In 2008 Crime Stoppers held “JailBreak” in conjunction with TheCanadian Cancer Society(Wellington County) in hopes of

raising $60,000 to be dividedbetween the two organizations.

The Wellington County PoliceServices Board also donated over$2,500 in proceeds from the saleof 2009 commemorative calen-dars (celebrating the 10thAnniversary of the O.P.P. inWellington County and 100thAnniversary of the O.P.P. provin-cially).

www.cr imestoppers-wel l ing-ton.com.

COMMUNITY HEROESSARAH SIMSThe start of a new schoolyear is a hectic time for moststudents, and September2008 was no different forthe students of St. JosephCatholic School in Fergus.At the end of the secondday of school, a group ofstudents exited a bus onthe east side of Fergusand the school bus con-tinued on. One of thesestudents, a younger spe-cial needs boy, lookedaround perplexed, as hewas unfamiliar with thisstop and was lookingfor someone who wasto meet him.

The boy had beendropped off at thewrong bus stop.

This young boy came to theattention of Sarah Sims, a grade 8student of St. Joseph CatholicSchool who was a regular at thisstop. Sarah and her younger sisterrecognized this boy from theschool. Sarah brought the boy toher home, called back to theschool and spoke with office staffto find out where the boy shouldgo to after school. Sarah thenwalked the boy a couple blocks towhere the boys’ franticgrandmother was waiting.

Sarah’s’ alertness and selflessactions had prevented theyounger child from becoming lostor injured. This incident came tothe attention of the County ofWellington O.P.P., and onSeptember 26th, 2008 at an openassembly at St. Joseph CatholicSchool, Constable Mark Cloespresented Sarah with a letter ofappreciation.

MARLENE THOM (right)civilian member, County of Wellington O.P.P. received her QuarterCentury pin from Deputy Commissioner, Chris Lewis. It recognizestwenty-five years of service to the Province of Ontario.

DAN KERR 42-years-old of Paisley, Ontario received a Commissioner’sCommendation for his selfless actions to aid two persons who wereseriously injured in a head-on collision on Wellington Road 109 onOctober 20th, 2007. He provided first aid to the occupants of anoverturned vehicle until they could be extricated and transported tohospital.

(LEFT) BRANDON SOENHER 5-years-old and KAYLIN STUCKLESS 8-years-old of Drayton, Ontario received aCommissioner’s Citation forLifesaving and a St. John Priory Awardfor an incident that occurred onNovember 18th, 2007.

When their six year old brother Gavin (right) fell through the ice into the Conestoga River in Drayton, Kaylinjumped into the river and pulled him to safety while Brandon ran to get help. Their quick actions helped savethe life of their brother.

HORSE RESCUEDFROM POND

Although no awardswere given, in January of2008 Wellington CountyO.P.P. officers and fire-fighters from MountForest were called toassist a horse drowningon the MacDonald Farmon Highway 89, just eastof Mount Forest.

Officers arrived to find ahorse had fallen throughice on a pond.

Police and firefighters were able to pull it up onto the shore and quickly cover the horse with blankets.The horse was suffering from exhaustion and mild hypothermia.

Firefighters built a makeshift sled and everyone was able to roll the horse onto the sled and then drag it backto a heated shed on the property. We are glad to report that Red, a 26-year-old horse is doing fine.

WWeeeekk llyy WWaaggIndiana Jones

CRIME STOPPERS - NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONFUNDRAISING INITIATIVES

PIKANGIKUM - A FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITY

On Wednesday, May 28th, 2008, the annual Western Region O.P.P. Awards ceremony was held at the StoneTree Inn in Owen Sound, Ontario. Local officers and civilian members received recognition for years of serviceor for acts of valor. Local citizens were also recognized for acts of valor.

Scenes from the 2008 Bail & Jail and the cover of the 2009 Police Services Board Commemorative Calendar

2009 Calendar“Putting Our Community First”

I have never had the opportunityto experience working in the northand I thought that this would giveme an opportunity to gain thatexperience and see first hand formyself what it would be like.

You hear many stories but there isnothing like taking the plunge andseeing it for yourself. Youreceive your marchingorders and take off fromOrillia airport to the farnorth. It's probablyabout 2050 km fromMount Forest and takesmost of the day to flythere.

I arrived at the airportand was met by threeofficers. They immediate-ly handed me a radio andthe keys for the policevehicle and bid us farewell. Thefirst thing you notice is that thereare no street names, house num-bers or directions to help you findyour way around.

Pikangikum is a community ofapproximately 2500 First Nationpeople. There is no access by roadduring the summer. You have tocome by boat or airplane. In thewinter, you can drive in and out onthe ice roads. Most homes have norunning water, toilets or showers.People have to get water from acommunal well for all their needs.There are no roadways to speak of,just dirt paths.

Throughout my stay, I was horri-fied at the amount of substanceabuse not only by the adults butalso by the children. Among theadults alcohol abuse is rampantwith people drinking homebrew,hairspray and silk tassel ryewhiskey. Even though it is a dry

community and alcohol is banned,one could find dozens of emptycontainers every day. Peoplewould pay upwards of $150.00 fora 750 ml bottle of rye andupwards of $70.00 for a bottle ofhairspray. Homebrew is made froma concoction of ketchup and otheringredients.

The shocking thing among thechildren is the amount of gassniffing. So many young childrendon't seem to have hope for abetter future and turn tosubstance abuse. The sad thing isthat this leads to one of thehighest suicide rates in Canada.You can see the devastation fromit. There are no cemeteries inPikangikum. People bury theirrelatives on their front lawn ontheir property. My heart wasripped out when I saw six gravesat one home and found out thatall six were siblings, five of whomhad committed suicide (all in theirearly teens).

Policing there is extremely chal-lenging. You are very, very busy allday and all night long. In twoweeks, we arrested about 200people and laid a lot of criminalcharges. There is not much supportto help you with your investiga-tions. The Crime Unit is in Red Lake

and they will fly in about once aweek to try and deal with themore serious investigations butmost of the time, you are on yourown. We only had one First Nationofficer working during our stayand we didn't get to work withhim very much.

I got a call one morn-ing to come andshoot a dog that hadbeen hit by a car.There is no veterinari-an in Pikangikum sothere was nowhere totake the dog for treat-ment.

When I got there, Ifound a 3 month oldpuppy who was insevere distress but I

couldn’t bring myself to shoot him.I took him to the nursing stationand over the next couple of days,officers took turns nursing thepuppy back to health and eventu-ally found a new home inGravenhurst through animal res-cue.

I realize how difficult it must be forthe First Nation officers who liveand work there all year round.They are related to most of thepeople in the community and itmust be extremely difficult to staypositive and motivated when yousee so many depressing thingsevery day. I was glad I got to expe-rience this for myself and I wouldrecommend that every young offi-cer should do the same. It givesyou a greater insight into theircommunities and the problemsthat they face in the north. Andyes, I would do it again if given theopportunity.- Const. Nikki Stewart

WELLINGTONCOUNTY

CRIMINALINVESTIGATION

UNITThe Wellington County Crime Unithas had several changes during2008.

Detective Sergeant MaryLouiseKearns joined the unit in thesummer of 2008 and oversees agroup of Detective Constables.The detectives report to severallocations within WellingtonCounty including Rockwood,Fergus and Mount Forest.

During 2008, the WellingtonCounty Crime Unit responded tonumerous investigations thatincluded, but were not limited, todeath investigations, sexualassaults, robberies, frauds,voyeurism and domestic violenceinvestigations.

Such occurrences take investigative expertise and Wellington County hasa talented group of individuals who ensure that all investigations arecompleted in a thorough manner. Detectives are trained in areas suchas General Investigative Techniques, Sexual Assault Investigations,Investigating Offences Against Children, Interviewing Techniques andMajor Case Management.

These are some of the core competency courses and provide only afraction of the training given to all detectives in the Crime Unit.

Detectives in the Crime Unit work cooperatively with front-line officers,the Forensic Identification Unit, Emergency Response Team, IntelligenceUnit, Drug Enforcement Section, Child Sexual Exploitation Section,Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, Crime Prevention Section andother specialized resources that are stationed throughout the Province.

The Wellington County Crime Unit currently has several detectivesspecializing in specific areas which include; major crime, property crime,domestic violence and hate/bias investigators.

MAJOR CRIME INVESTIGATORS

These investigators primarily focus on occurrences that are deemed“benchmark” occurrences. These benchmark occurrences include:

• Homicide• Attempted murder• Sexual offences including child pornography and child luring• Criminal Harassment• Assault – Level 3 (ie aggravated assault)• Robbery• Hate/Bias Crime• Frauds and False pretences exceeding $25,000• Property Crime exceeding $25,000• Drug Occurrences• Other specialized investigations

PROPERTY CRIME INVESTIGATORS

The property crime investigators are assigned to support front-lineofficers with the follow-up of break and enters, mischief occurrences,extensive auto thefts and the overall analysis of property crime trends.

Detective Constable Andy Hooper is currently the investigator assigned to oversee the schematics of the property crime team and isinstrumental in ensuring that the H.E.R.O. Program (High RiskEnforcement Repeat Offender program) is operational. This program con-centrates on monitoring people who are bound by conditions of bail orprobation.

An exciting addition to this area is the partnership with the EmergencyResponse Team (E.R.T.) members in Wellington County who have joinedthe Crime Unit to ensure the H.E.R.O. program continues to be a success.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCECOORDINATOR

D/Cst. Tanya Beckon is new to theposition of Domestic ViolenceCoordinator for Wellington County.She is responsible for overseeingthe integrity of all domesticviolence investigations, monitoringall high risk cases, assisting front-line officers with interviews andensuring all members are properlytrained in domestic violenceprotocol. Detective ConstableBeckon works with a variety ofcommunity partners on an ongoingbasis to ensure that all victims ofdomestic violence are providedwith the necessary tools andsupport to make a difficult journeymore bearable.

HATE/BIAS INVESTIGATOR

One of the major crime investigators, Detective Constable Larry Drewalso oversees any investigation where a criminal offence committedagainst a person or property is motivated solely, or in part, upon the race,national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental orphysical disability, or sexual orientation of the victim. This type of occur-rence takes investigative expertise and the knowledge of the traumaticlong-term effects of this type of crime.

The Wellington County Crime Unit is forever evolving with the times andas a result is able to provide a commitment to excellence and dedicationto the people of Wellington County.

SCENES OF CRIME OFFICERS(S.O.C.O.)

Scenes of Crime Officers (S.O.C.O.) are front-line uniformed members ofthe O.P.P. who have received specialized training in the collection, pro-cessing and preservation of evidence. The S.O.C.O. program is directlysupervised by the Forensic Identification Support Unit located in MountForest.

In Wellington County there are 10 trained S.O.C.O. officers. They attendthe following types of incidents: break and enters, assaults, domesticassaults, mischief, fires, sudden deaths (natural or traumatic), postmortems, drug warrants, stolen property, recovered stolen vehicles, andtraffic collisions.

Roles of the S.O.C.O. officer include: attending scenes of criminal andnon-criminal incidents, and providing scene examination that mayinvolve crime scene sketches, photography, and the collection andpreservation of evidence including: DNA, fingerprints, footwear, tire andtool mark impressions. Exhibits are submitted to the ForensicIdentification Support Unit for expert examination. DNA is submitted tothe Centre of Forensic Science in Toronto, for examination regarding suit-ability for DNA upload to the existing National DNA Data bank, and forrequests for known suspect DNA comparison.

S.O.C.O. Equipment consists of:• Nikon D200 digital camera• Fingerprint kit complete with powders, brushes, and ink for printing

cadavers• Casting material for tool impressions and fingerprints• Casting equipment for footwear impressions• Swabs for the collection of DNA

Number of Scenes Attended by S.O.C.O. per year:

2007 - 170 2008 - 271

“Physical evidence can not be intimidated.It does not forget. It sits there and waits to be

detected, preserved, evaluated, and explained.”

-Herbert Leon Macdonell

STAFF SERGEANTS

The Wellington County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police hastwo Staff Sergeants. The Staff Sergeants work closely with the Inspector– Detachment Commander as part of the command team for the detach-ment. The responsibilities of the Staff Sergeants are split betweenOperations and Support. The Staff Sergeant – Operations Manager isresponsible for everything that happens outside the physical buildings ofthe detachment. This includes crime and traffic management, day to dayresponse to calls for service and emergency management. TheOperations Manager is required to have knowledge and skill related tocriminal investigations, traffic management and incident command. TheStaff Sergeant – Support Manager is responsible for all the activitiesoccurring within the physical buildings of the detachment. The SupportManager requires a strong understanding of human resources (HR), inorder to manage transfers, promotions, new hires, occupational healthand safety issues and other matter directly related to the personnel ofthe detachment. The Staff Sergeants directly supervise the 13 Sergeantsin Wellington County.

COMMUNITY SERGEANTS

Along with Sergeants assigned to each platoon, each of the four officeswithin Wellington County, Fergus, Mount Forest Palmerston andRockwood have a community Sergeant assigned to them.

All four Sergeants work together out of their respective offices. Dutiesinclude the general administration of the office, vehicle maintenance,property management, inventory control, and disposal of items seized –firearms, drugs, and property. The Sergeants are also a liaison for thecommunity. Sergeants are involved with the local B.I.A., Chamber ofCommerce, Municipal Councils, and attend social events and assist withthe organization of large community events, e.g.: Fall Fairs, HighlandGames, and Hillside Festival.

8

Const. Tanya Beckon S/Sgt. Scott Smith S/Sgt. Susan Gray and Inspector Steve Walsh

Sergeants (L to R): Joe Piccione, Warren Fink, Glen Dietrich,(seated): Patrick Horrigan

Detective Sgt.MaryLouise Kearns

Detective Constables: Andrew Hooper, Jennifer Foley,Heidi Pautsch

MOUNTED BIKE PATROL

One of the fastest growing trends in law enforcement today is utiliza-tion of mountain bicycles. Quiet, cost efficient, and amazingly effective,mountain bikes are able to bridge the gap between automobiles andfoot patrol. Experience has shown that citizens are more likely toapproach a bike patrol officer than even a neighborhood beat officer,optimizing community oriented or problem oriented policing efforts.Bicycle officers are better able to use all of their senses, including smelland hearing, to detect and address crime. Bike patrol officers are oftenable to approach suspects virtually unnoticed, even in full uniform.Mountain bikes have proven effective in a number of different environ-ments. Bikes are effective in park patrol, parking lots, residential patrol,business security, athletic or civic events, and specialized details. Theycan be operated on streets, sidewalks, alleys, trails, and in any areas thatare difficult to access with motor vehicles. The Wellington CountyMountain Bike Program has been in effect for four years and has eightmembers trained throughout Wellington County.

MOUNTED UNIT

The County of Wellington O.P.P. Mounted Unit has been in operation forthe past 11 years. Initially, the unit was only utilized to do special eventsand parades. We have constantly worked to expand that role to wherewe now conduct full-time patrols throughout the summer months, aswell as participating in special events throughout the year.

We extended our full-time patrols to begin in early April 2008 and endin October 2008.

The unit consists of two Percheron Cross geldings. Bosco, who is 15-years-old, is 17 1/2 hands high and weighs 2280 pounds as well asJasper, who is 11-years-old, is 16 1/2 hands high and weighs 1780pounds.

The Mounted Unit is available to attend parades and major events. Ifyou would like them at your event, please send a letter of request to:The County of Wellington O.P.P. Mounted Unit at 250 Daly Street,Palmerston, Ontario N0G 2P0. Make sure you outline the date and timerequired, the function they are needed for and a contact person.

9

CRIME

Const. Randy Schubert

Constable Steve Smith with Jasper, Constable Keith Robb with Bosco

COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS

The County of Wellington O.P.P. has two full time community servicesand media relations officers Constable Keith ROBB, and Constable MarkCLOES.

Constable Jennifer SMITH assists the two Officers with media relationswhen needed. The community services duties include school visits, classpresentations, service club presentations and special event displays. TheMedia relation duties include regular release of policing services calls,community information releases, and major event media releases. Theseofficers received specialized training in both disciplines of their duties.

E.R.T.EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

Wellington County has 3 Emergency Response Team (E.R.T.) members.P/C Pete Fischer, P/C Rick Lytle and P/C Rudy Bracnik are stationed inWellington County but respond to calls throughout West Region andthe Province. These highly trained members are responsible for K9Backup, Containment, Public Order, VIP Security, High Risk PrisonerEscort, Search and Rescue and assisting the Crime and Drug Units withwarrants and other duties such as evidence searches.

CANINE

Constable Barry Reid is the Canine Officer for the County of WellingtonO.P.P. He has been a member of the O.P.P. for 14 years and has beenassigned as the Canine Handler since 2003. Constable Reid acquired anew dog in 2007 and now has two Police Service Dogs to conduct hisinvestigations. Pictured is “Dekker” an 80 lb. German Shepherd who isimported from Belgium. P.C. Reid and Dekker attended the GeneralService Dog course in Gravenhurst throughout the spring and summerin order to train Dekker to track and search for people.

Const. Mark Cloes

Constables Rudy Bracnik, Pete Fischer

Const. Barry Reid with Dekker

During 2008 the Ontario Provincial Police teamed up with the InsuranceBureau of Canada to promote the “Lock It or Lose It!” campaign.

During this time, officers focused on reminding car drivers and ownersto secure your autos and don’t be an easy target for car thieves.

County of Wellington O.P.P. officers embraced this endeavour wholeheartedly with officers and Auxiliary members attending streets andparking lots in November, throughout the County to check for unlockedautos. With this campaign, members in this detail checked hundreds ofautos looking for valuables in plain view, or unlocked vehicles.

STATISTICS:

(Puslinch Twp, Fergus, Elora, Arthur & Mount Forest)• Autos checked 1569 • Unlocked vehicles 133• Valuables visible 103

The County of Wellington O.P.P. is reminding vehicle owners of someProtection tips to aid in theft reduction.

PROTECTION TIPS:

• Never leave valuable items or packages in full view. Put them in the trunk.

• Try to park in well lit areas.• Always close the vehicle windows, lock the doors and pocket the

key.• If you have a garage, use it and lock the door as well as the

vehicle.• Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running.

The key to protecting your vehicle and its contents is in your hands.Keep yourself from becoming an easy target by properly securing yourvehicle.

Maclean’s magazine recently conducted a surveyusing annual crime data from Statistics Canada for municipal police

services with the 100 largest populations in the nation.Using 2007 rates per 100,000 population for six crimes -

homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, vehicle theft, robberyplus breaking and entering -

Maclean’s calculated the percentage differencefrom the national rate for each of the six crimes.

Overall scores were obtained in consultation with StatsCan andwe are proud to say Wellington County ranked

the 9th safest community in Canada.

THE COMMISSIONER’S VISIT

On the 4th of March 2008, while the Inspector, Staff Sergeants andSergeants were meeting to discuss detachment and operational concerns,Commissioner Fantino attended and met with the members.

The Commissioner spoke of how proud he was to be involved withpolicing the County of Wellington and provided direction and his futurevisions for policing. He was very open to discussion with everyone pres-ent.

The visit with the Commissioner was informative and inspirational to theCounty of Wellington leadership.

(L to R): A/Sgt. Laurie Munro, Sgt. Mike Gordon, S/Sgt. Scott Smith,Sgt. Warren Fink, Insp. Steve Walsh, Sgt. Patrick Horrigan, Comm.Julian Fantino, D/Sgt. Chris Knoll, Sharon Van Hemmen, Sgt. John

Kummer, Sgt. Bob Uridil, Sgt. Joe Piccione, A/Sgt. Louis Berthlot, Sgt.Glen Dietrich, S/Sgt. Susan Gray, Sgt. Steve Ingham, Sgt. Roger Woods,

Sgt. Deb Anderson, Sgt. Andy Atchison, Sgt. Mike Ashley

ON THE ROAD

VAN SAFETY

In October of this year, a van carrying a band went off the highway and rolled, killing one member andseriously injuring another. This happened in Saskatchewan. Over thirty years ago, a colleague survived analmost identical accident in Northern Quebec. One of his band mates didn’t.

In both cases, the van rolled over when the driver tried to get back onto the highway. Although these twotragedies happened many years apart, the circumstances are similar and indicate that it could happen again.In the interest of trying to prevent that, here is some information that may help you if you find yourself in thatsituation.

First, what should you do if you are driving and your van goes off onto the shoulder of the road? As in anyemergency situation, there are a number of things you need to do:

1) Stay calm (ie; Don’t panic). That’s the 1st .01 second.

2) Take your foot off the gas pedal.

3) DO NOT slam on the brakes. Why? Because your wheels are on two different surfaces. When you apply thebrakes, the two different surfaces (eg. pavement on one side, dirt / gravel/ sand on the other) will slow thevehicle at different rates. Since the same vehicle can’t be going two different speeds at the same time, physics demands that the speed difference between the two sides gets transferred into another motion…the van rolling over.

4) DO NOT try to steer back on to the highway at speed, keep the wheel straight until the vehicle has slowed considerably. Why? Because the wheel on the shoulder can dig into the soft surface, slowing oneside of the van more than the other.

5) When the vehicle has slowed considerably, check your mirrors for traffic behind you, and when the coast is clear, gently ease back onto the highway and accelerate back up to highway speed. If in doubt, come to a complete stop, take a few deep breaths and start again.

So that’s the big one taken care off. Here are a few more notes to keep you safe when on tour. Note that howyou deal with some of these things will vary depending on whether you own the vehicle or are renting.

1) Buy a tire gauge (about $7-12.00 at Canadian Tire) and check your tire pressure regularly. If you are renting, check the tires when you pick up the van. I have often found rental vans to have mismatched tirepressures, once with one tire 50% lower than the other three. What does a low tire feel like whendriving? I often first notice a bit of extra movement when turning or straightening out after a turn…a little “kick” to the side.

2) If you own the vehicle, you will need to buy good tires. Really. If you are a struggling band and “can’t afford new tires”, figure out a way to do it…have a tire benefit, borrow from friends, ask your parents, anything, no matter how un-cool.

3) When you load the van, make sure you secure the load. In one of the crashes I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the bass amp was ejected through the roof of the van and the person who diedwent out after it. You can buy a complete set of cargo straps for $10-30.00 at Canadian Tire.

4) Keep the interior clean. It may look cool to have a bunch of empty pop cans rolling around the floor, butit’s not so cool when one of them rolls under the brake pedal.

5) On long drives, take frequent breaks if you are the only driver. If you are sharing the driving, keep the shiftsshort, like one to three hours each. It’s a bad idea to drive until you are tired and then switch, for two reasons. 1st, once you are tired, you won’t recover fully before your next shift, and 2nd, the last half hour or so while you are figuring out that you are too tired to keep driving, is a hazardous time to be at the wheel.

6) If you haven’t driven a larger vehicle, like a van, or don’t regularly drive, here’s something you need to beaware of: The van weighs a lot more than what you are used too. You need to be aware of that extra weight and how it affects the driving, particularly the braking. More weight means longer stoppingdistances, so you need to be looking farther ahead and acting sooner.

7) Wear your seat belts.

8) No booze or drugs while driving (in other words, that’s going to have to wait until you can afford a tour bus!)

9) Finally, always drive according to weather conditions, especially in unfamiliar territory. Many collisions arecaused by drivers driving too fast for the road and weather conditions. This is particularly true for larger,heavier vehicles that require additional stopping distances as mentioned in point #6.

Stay safe.

Courtesy of Zimbel Audio Productions Ltd.

ARE YOU USING YOUR HEAD FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY

Constable Henry Heidinga of the County ofWellington O.P.P. Traffic Management Unit ispictured with 7 of the novelty helmets seized frommotorcycle riders during the summer of 2008.These helmets ranged from a WWII army helmet,to horse riding helmets, and one with the caption“Helmet Laws Still Suck”.

Motorcycle helmets must meet standards as setout in the Highway Traffic Act, Ontario Regulation610, including:• Hard smooth outer shell• Sufficient internal padding• Undamaged by use or misuse• Secured by a strap connected under the chin

Your helmet must also comply with one of:• Canadian Standards Association• Snell Memorial Association• British Standards Institute• United States of America Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218Your helmet must also contain the appropriate corresponding sticker or marking.

Failure to meet the above requirements can result in a charge under Section 104(1) of the Highway Traffic Actalong with seizure of the novelty helmet.

Finally, because the helmet is part of the safety equipment of the motorcycle, a proper helmet will have to bebrought to the scene where you are stopped, and inspected by police, before the motorcycle can be driven; oryour bike may be towed at owners expense.

When it comes to traffic safety on a motorcycle - use your head and wear the proper helmet.

WATCH FOR WILDLIFE WHILE DRIVING

Last year there were 13, 592 vehicle/wildlife collisions in Ontario — that’s one every 39 minutes. 89% of thesecollisions happened on two-lane roads outside of urban areas with 84% occurring in good weather. Using thesetips will help keep you and your family safe:

• Scan the road ahead from shoulder to shoulder. When you see wildlife beside the road, slow down and passcarefully as they may suddenly bolt onto the road.

• Watch for the yellow wildlife warning signs that indicate an area of increased risk. Slow down whentravelling through these areas.

• Use high beams at night where possible and watch for glowing eyes of animals. • Stop as safely as possible if a wild animal is crossing the road. Remember, if one animal crosses the road,

others may follow.• Never swerve suddenly. This could cause your vehicle to go out of control which may result in a more

serious collision.• Most wildlife collisions occur during dusk or dawn and if hitting a wild animal is unavoidable, remember to

stay in control.

QUICK FACTS

There are two peak times of year for wild life collisions: May and June when animals seek road salt in ditchesand try to escape biting insects; and during the fall mating and migration seasons.

The Province of Ontario has taken a number of steps to help keep animals from wandering onto the road,including: Installing fencing along major highways; removing roadside brush to improve visibility for drivers;draining salty ponds beside highways, which may attract wildlife; posting warning signs where there is a histo-ry of wildlife collisions; installing highway lighting to improve visibility at night.

LEARN MORE

Read more facts and tips on avoiding wild life collisions at the M.T.O.’s Watch for Wildlife webpage.

Get up-to-date road condition information on major highways in the area.You can call the ministry’s road information line at 416-235-4686, or toll-free at 1-800-268-4686.

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TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT UNIT

I have been in the area for the last 20 plus years, first with the (old) Fergus Police Service and now, 10 yearswith the O.P.P. I have been the Supervisor of the Wellington County Traffic Management Unit for a year now,taking over for Traffic Sergeant Rick Weiler who retired after more than 30 years of service with the O.P.P.I have large shoes to fill to be able to run this Unit as well as he did.

In 2007 there were 17 fatalities in Wellington County, which is far too many people dying on our roadways. In 2008 we reduced that number to 12 fatalities which is a substantial decrease but I cannot say that I amhappy. I will only be happy when that number is reduced to zero. The majority of fatalities involved single motorvehicles. Alcohol was a contributing factor in far too many as well. This is something that we as members ofthe public must address. Excessive speed is a contributing factor in most crashes.

The Wellington County Traffic Management Unit somewhat changed its focus this year where we also concen-trated on the drinking and driving problems within our County by taking part in numerous R.I.D.E. programs.The most disturbing occurrence in 2008 was the fail to remain pedestrian fatality that occurred on the 10th ofOctober 2008 on Wellington Road 17, Nichol Twp., where a local youth was struck and killed by an unknowndriver. Many hours of investigation have been and will continue to be dedicated into the identification of theresponsible vehicle and driver. I am appalled that someone can strike and kill another human being and notcome forward. How can they live with themselves?

Members of the unit were active this year in snowmobile patrol, motorcycle patrol, marine patrol and justvehicular patrols.

I look forward to serving in this capacity for the upcoming year and encourage any member of the public who-has concerns with traffic issues to contact me so that we can resolve them for you.

- Sgt. Michael ASHLEY

Left to right is: Constable Patrice Gonzalez, Constable Steve Hunter, Constable Tim Gillingham,Constable Henry Heidinga, Constable Ryan Martin

Absent: Sgt. Mike Ashley, Const. Dave Gray

Photo by Helen Michel

(R.I.D.E.)

REDUCE IMPAIREDDRIVING

EVERYWHERE

The “Reduce Impaired Driving inEtobicoke” program was created in 1977by the Etobicoke Safety Council, theAddiction Research Foundation and theMetropolitan Toronto Police Service toaddress the then soaring incidence ofdrinking and driving. This project exempli-fied the union of the community, thepolice and the corporate sector to combatthis social problem. From this concept, theprovincial R.I.D.E. (Reduce ImpairedDriving Everywhere) evolved across theprovince with the aid of the government’sgrant program.

Since its inception, as a countermeasurefor drinking and driving during the

Christmas holiday season, the programhas proven effective in deterring anddetecting drinking drivers. It is successfulin apprehending impaired drivers whencombined with police enforcement, publiceducation and awareness campaigns.Based on the concept of increasingmotorists perceived risk of apprehension,the program is supported by the police,public and the media.

Drinking and driving continues to be theleading cause of criminal death inCanada. Drinking and driving is a seriousthreat to safety on our roads and high-ways and will not be tolerated.

The Ministry of Community Safety andCorrectional Services (M.C.S.C.S.) providesgrants annually to municipal policeservices, Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.)

contract municipalities and First Nationspolice services conduct R.I.D.E. spot checkactivities throughout the year across theprovince. The grant is intended to coveronly sworn officers’ overtime and paidduty activities.

For the fiscal year 2007–2008 172 munic-ipalities received grants for R.I.D.E. com-pared to 100 in 1995. Since 1995, $1.2Mhas been available annually to eligiblemunicipalities. The Honourable RickBartolucci, Minister of Community Safetyand Correctional Services was proud toannounce that the R.I.D.E. Grant pro-gram's funding was doubled to $2.4 mil-lion for 2008/2009.

Improving road safety is an important pri-ority of the McGuinty government.M.C.S.C.S. aims to ensure that Ontario’sroads are as safe as possible for motoristsand pedestrians alike.

The R.I.D.E. program has been successfulin apprehending impaired drivers whencombined with police enforcement, publiceducation and awareness campaigns.

WELLINGTON COUNTY

In 2008/2009, the County of WellingtonPolice Services Board was allotted$25,000.00 through the R.I.D.E. GrantProgram .

This translated into 460 hours of R.I.D.E.patrol and spotchecks by 68 membersfrom the Wellington County Detachmentbetween April 2008 and February 2009.Approximately 13,000 drivers werechecked. This resulted in 11 drivers beingcharged for criminal alcohol relatedoffences. An additional 13 roadside sus-pensions for 12 hours were issued.

The R.I.D.E. Grant Program has become anessential component of traffic safety forthe residents of the County of Wellington.

M.A.D.D. Wellington County is one of thirty-three M.A.D.D. CanadaChapters serving the province of Ontario. The mission statement of thisorganization is “To Stop Impaired Driving and Support Victims of thisViolent Crime.”

Impaired Driving is the leading cause of Criminal Death in Canada withan average of four people killed in alcohol related collisions each day.

During the 2008/2009 school year, M.A.D.D. Wellington County has host-ed the M.A.D.D. Multimedia School Presentation, D.O.A. at eight (8)schools throughout Wellington County. This assembly program has been

seen by students in public and catholic high schools in Palmerston,Mount Forest, and Guelph. M.A.D.D. Wellington County has providedfunding for a number of these assemblies.

A professionally produced video displayed on three large screens featuresreal life stories about lives that have been lost or changed as a conse-quence of Impaired Driving (by alcohol, drug, or a combination). Amongthose sharing their stories is Canadian singer Rob Nash from the band"Live on Arrival" who, after nearly losing his life in a crash, is dedicatedto bringing an end to the violent crime of Impaired Driving.

Robb appeared in person at Centennial CVI in Guelph to tell his story andperform live for the students.

M.A.D.D. Wellington County is committed to educating the youth of thiscommunity by supporting existing OSAID (Ontario Student AgainstImpaired Driving) chapters and encouraging the start up of new ones inall Wellington County High Schools. For more information about M.A.D.D.Wellington County and specifically the DOA assembly program, pleasecheck out our website at http://madd.ca/wellingtoncounty/ or contact usat (519) 515-0623.

Each year the Wellington County O.P.P. launch an advertising campaign using the local newspaper, The Wellington Advertiser.The ads are designed to educate and deter drivers from driving impaired. The key message: Don’t Drink and Drive.

DIDYOU KNOW?

That Wellington County O.P.P.runs R.I.D.E. all year long

In 2008 87,790 werechecked at R.I.D.E stops

259 individuals werearrested as a result oflocal R.I.D.E. checks

LOCAL R.I.D.E. NEWSPAPER CAMPAIGN

This message brought to you by ...

This could be your nextset of wheels.

Don’t drink and drive.

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Don’t let this beyour Christmas Parade.

Don’t drink and drive.

This message brought to you by ...

Do you really want to get smashed?

Don’t drink and drive.

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Can you really afford to drive impaired?

Don’t drink and drive.

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Don’t let this be your New Year’stoast.

Don’t drink and drive.

11

M.A.D.D. - MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING

Don’t drink and drive.

Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drink and drive.

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Don’t drink and drive.

Photo by Helen Michel

JOIN THE O.P.P.

12Cover, back, centrespread, R.I.D.E., Crime/Specialty Units and background photos by Helen Michel This publication designed and published by The Wellington Advertiser

WHY WORK FOR THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE?

OUR TRADITION ... YOUR FUTURE.JOIN ONTARIO'S FINEST.

"Policing Excellence Through Our People,Our Work and Our Relationships"

Ontario is vast and magnificent in terms of both its territory and people. Its police service isthe Ontario Provincial Police.

We are known as the O.P.P. and take pride in being regarded as Ontario’s Police Professionals.We have earned the respect and trust of Ontario’s citizenry and we are committed topreserving our reputation into the future.

We deeply embrace the principle that a diverse population is best served by a similardiversity of police officers. To maintain its tradition of excellence, the O.P.P. seeks to hire aspolice constables people representative of the cultural and racial diversity of the province weserve.

As a police employer, there are few to compare with the Ontario Provincial Police. We arecommitted to fair employment practices that ensure qualified candidates have access toemployment and hiring decisions are made on the basis of merit. Our aim is to create aclimate of mutual respect and understanding in which all people are equal in dignity andrights. Our commitment is entrenched in law but is exercised from principle.

In providing service to over one million square kilometers of land and water, the O.P.P. is oneof North America’s largest deployed policing agencies. With size, comes virtually limitlessopportunities to undertake a variety of police duties, to specialize, to advance, to grow.Members apply their talents to duties that vary from municipal policing duties to traffic andgeneral law enforcement. The opportunities for an exciting career in policing are unlimited.Real potential exists for you, as a police officer, to learn and grow and to have a positiveimpact not just on a community, but on an entire province.

What does it take to be a member of the O.P.P. team? It takes people with integrity,accountability, courage, caring and fairness. It takes people from diverse backgrounds to rep-resent the community we serve. It takes people who enjoy working with others and want tobuild strong, positive relationships characterized by mutual respect in all types of settings andcircumstances … people who really want to make a difference in the lives of others.

www.opp.ca or www.wellington.on.ca

On foot patrol: Cadet Kyle McLeod and Constable Sarah Van Norman