Brave men and women who protect our community were honoured with one of the highest honours in policing on Thursday.
“This is our opportunity to recognize our members as well as members of the community who have saved people’s lives or have done their best to save the life of somebody in need,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said at the Central Region Awards presentation at Hawk Ridge Golf Club in Severn Township.
The goal of the event is to show OPP members that their selfless acts of heroism are appreciated, Carrique said.
“We ask ordinary people to do extraordinary things,” he said. “They stand up to that challenge each and every day. Their dedication to duty is unparalleled.”
Among the many award winners in Central Region were Det. Const. Benjamin Fontaine from the Huronia West detachment and Nikolas Walmsley of Orillia OPP who received the Commissioner’s Letter of Commendation and St. John Ambulance Award for saving the life of a man who nearly died of a drug overdose.
“We were dispatched to a suspicious person call at the time,” Fontaine explained. “I recall there was a man laying down in the ditch on the side of the road.”
When Fontaine arrived on the scene, he ran over to the man, who was unresponsive. His lips were blue and he was carrying a device used to smoke drugs.
“I knew immediately it was a suspected drug overdose,” he said. “At that time, I administered a Narcan and commenced CPR.”
Walmsley then arrived on the scene and took the advice of a paramedic to administer two more doses of Narcan.
“He came around and started responding,” Walmsley said. “Paramedics arrived soon afterwards and took him to hospital for further treatment."
The quick, vital work of the two officers saved the man’s life.
“That’s why we joined this job,” Walmsley said. “Our number one priority is the protection of life and limb.”
Fontaine agreed.
“Even saving one life makes an entire career,” Fontaine said. “It feels fantastic and I’m sure the family of the gentleman we saved is appreciative.”
Det. Const. Jay Pilon of the Orillia Community Street Crime Unit and Const. Kristine Stanway of Orillia OPP were also honoured with the Commissioner’s Letter of Commendation and St. John Ambulance Award during Thursday’s ceremony.
“We responded to a motor vehicle collision and the highway was shut down because of it,” Pilon explained. “We had tow operators on scene to move some of the vehicles and during that one of the tow operators actually suffered a massive heart attack.”
Because of the highway closure, there was a significant delay in paramedics making it to the tow truck operator in distress, leaving Pilon and Stanway with no choice but to act quickly.
“We performed CPR for at least half an hour on the side of the highway,” Pilon said. “We tried really hard, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough,” Stanway added.
The two officers knew the man quite well as he had assisted with many other calls. It's incidents like this that makes the job tough, she said.
“As a shift, we always talk about things that we go through,” Pilon said. “We have that open dialogue and lean on our spouses in these times.”
Despite falling short in their efforts to revive the man, Pilon and Stanway will be ready for the next time their efforts are needed.
“We have tunnel vision on what our duty really is,” Stanway said. “We know we have to do it, and it all just kind of falls into place.”
Here is a full list of those recognized at Thursday’s event:
Police Exemplary Service Medal (20 years)
PC Brian Anderson
PC Isaac Austin
PC Robert Babcock
Sgt. David Brown
PC Erik Chamberlain
PC Amanda Chilvers
PC David Epp
Det.-Sgt. Shaun Filman
PC Steven Fox
PC Andrew Freeston
DC Stephen Gray
PC Donald James
Sgt. Darcy Jibb
PC Jonathon King
PC Jennifer Lajoie
PC Bridget Laurin
PC Greg Leclair
PC Keith Lindley
PC Derek Lotton
PC Michael MacNeil
DC Trevor McLaughlin
PC Robert Mosher
Sgt. Douglas Murphy
DC Tyler Pratt
Sgt. Robin Rogers
Sgt. Eric Steele
PC Dana Thorn
PC Jeffery Vella
PC Edward Warman
PC Spencer Whomersley
DC (Retired) Greg Yacula
Sgt. Ezra Zugehoer
Police Exemplary Service Medal — first bars (30 years)
PC (retired) Lynda Cranney
Sgt. Matthias Hanes
PC Ronald (Trevor) McKean
PC (retired) Brett McRoberts
PC Gregory Stokes
PC Scott Williams
Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal
Sp. Cst. William Cork
Sp. Cst. Lee Groves
Sp. Cst. Melissa Hulsman
Sp. Cst. Barbara Purdy
Auxiliary Service Recognition
Aux. Sgt. Peter Brown
Civilian Service (20 years/30 years)
Michael Carr
Lisa Darch
Lillian Duhig
Gregory Foster
Patricia Haza
Mary Jensen
Laurie-Dawn Keillor
Kim Knochelmann
Brenda Marasse
Deborah McCall
Tracy Moore
Louise Pendleton
Yvonne Saillou (retired)
Diandra Shukaris
Marc Sparrow
Carol Sykes
Kimberley Waterbury
Dawn Shearer (retired)
Marilyn Van Maren
Elena Vizza
Commissioner’s Commendations
PC Gurpal Bhatti — Outstanding Investigation
PC Gurprett Singh — Outstanding Investigation
PC Dean Rodd — Community Service
Staff Sgt. Daniel Colling — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Jeffrey Walter — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Jonathon King — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Sgt. Ryan Wier — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Adam Green — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Christina Tomlinson — Exemplary Performance of Duty
DC Craig Frasier — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Daniel Denhartogh — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC David Manson — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Sgt. David Moffatt — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Sgt. Dean Ronson — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Sgt. Ezra Zugehoer — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Gregory Bladon — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC James Reading — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Mr. Jeffrey Soley — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Sgt. John Meaker — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Lynda Cranney — Exemplary Performance of Duty
DC Mark Rikaby — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Sgt. Matthias Hanes — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Randal Gardner — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Robert McKenzie — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Stefan Racine — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Steven Collins — Exemplary Performance of Duty
PC Todd Wright — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Staff Sgt. Mitchell Perry — Exemplary Performance of Duty
Commissioner’s Letters and St. John Ambulance Awards
DC Benjamin Fontaine — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
PC Nikolas Walmsley — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
Sgt. Mathew Caissie — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
PC Keith Lindley — Commissioner’s Letter
PC Ryan Drazilov — Commissioner’s Letter
PC Billy John Cooper — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
PC Shelby Russell — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
PC Ryan Jannaway — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award (two awards)
PC Zach Buchan — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
PC Kristine Stanway — Commissioner’s Letter and St. John Award
DC Jay Pilon - File # 2021-2598 — Commissioner’s Letter
Commissioner’s Citations for Lifesaving
Alan Fawn Sr. — Citation for Lifesaving and St. John Award
Alan Fawn Jr. — Citation for Lifesaving and St. John Award
Joh Brackett — Citation for Lifesaving
Elle Hawtin — Citation for Lifesaving
Katherine Morris — Citation for Lifesaving
Geordie Newlands — Citation for Lifesaving
Matthew LeNormand — Citation for Lifesaving
Justin Bifolchi — Citation for Lifesaving
Jon Duff — Citation for Lifesaving
Lindy Gale — Citation for Lifesaving
Enid Wray — Citation for Lifesaving
Ryan Thomas — Selfless Actions
John Thomson — Selfless Actions
Alicia Smith — Citation for Lifesaving
Kristina Kostuk — Citation for Lifesaving
PC Jennifer Lajoie — Citation for Lifesaving
Lauren Kowalski — File # 2021-2401 — Citation for Lifesaving
Commissioner’s Citations for Bravery
PC Amanda Capone — Citation for Bravery
PC Daryl McColl — Citation for Bravery
Kevin Schell (deceased) — Citation for Bravery
Darlene Sawyer — Citation for Bravery
Julia McBurney — Citation for Bravery
Jessica Pletch — Citation for Bravery
Michael Burr — Citation for Bravery
Aidan Quinn — Citation for Bravery and St. John Award
Youth Foundation
PC Brian (Joe) Chamberlain — OPP Youth Foundation Award
Acting Sgt. Ted Dongelmans — OPP Youth Foundation Award
