New South Simcoe police ‘family’ members ‘hit the ground running’

Two new faces recently joined South Simcoe Police Service’s “family.”

Chief John Van Dyke introduced Samah Othman, corporate communications co-ordinator, and Tori Semple, business strategist, to the Bradford West Gwillimbury/Innisfil Police Services Board during their regular meeting at the Innisfil Town Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 25.

“I am honoured to join South Simcoe Police,” Othman said, adding she “loves” how connected the service is to the community, and the “family” feel that comes with it.

Othman said she’s looking forward to working closely with the chief and Deputy Chief Sheryl Sutton to play a “hands-on” role in the “really important” work of supporting front-line officers by getting messages out to residents.

“I’m really excited to be working for South Simcoe Police,” Semple said, adding that while she was originally from York Region, she spent a lot of time growing up in Bradford and Innisfil. “So this is really a homecoming for me.”

Semple emphasized the “deep ties” the police have to community.

“That’s the kind of service I want to work for to make a difference,” she said.

A big part of her role will be helping to create and implement programs in line with the service’s 2022-2025 strategic plan as well as writing grant applications to help fund everything.

Van Dyke said both new members have already “hit the ground running” and “made a big impact,” since Othman started on Aug. 26 and Semple on Sept. 3

The chief read a quick summary of work history and education for both, in which he called Othman a “seasoned communications professional” with a “diverse” experience in media and public relations from both the private and public sectors.

Prior to joining the local service, Othman spent six years as a strategic communications specialist with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), where she collaborated with the commissioner of the OPP, including for work on their mental-health portfolio that involved various government ministries and police services from around the world.

Before that Othman spent almost 11 years working with the township of Oro-Medonte where she led “high-profile” campaigns, including the Oro-African Church crowdfunding campaign which raised more than $90,000 in donations in less than three months and secured $200,000 in government funding in six months, according to the chief.

“As a result of the tremendous communications success of the project, Samah and the township received numerous awards and commendations from associations and government agencies,” he said.

Othman completed business, economics and social science courses at McMaster University, graduated from Mohawk College with a three-year finance diploma, and after ten years in the financial industry, completed a certified municipal officer designation from the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.

For Semple’s part, the chief explained she has a PhD in psychology from Carlton University, where she worked in the police research lab, and also spent six years working for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) operation research unit, where she investigated “emerging operational issues” relating to policy, training and equipment.

Semple has also worked with several other police agencies in Canada researching issues including police response to people in crisis, the use of police tactical units and the public perception of police uniforms.

She has published multiple research papers in academic police journals and presented that research at international conferences, according to the chief.

“She is quickly becoming known as the brains of the organization,” Van Dyke said.