Ontario Provincial Police
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) is the Provincial Police service
for the province of Ontario
, Canada
.
s, patrols provincial highways (including Ontario's 400-Series Highways
) and is responsible for many of the waterways in the province. The OPP also works with other provincial agencies, including the Ministry of Transportation
and Ministry of Natural Resources
to enforce highway safety and conservation regulations, respectively. Finally, OPP officers provide security at the Ontario Legislature at Queen's Park in Toronto
.
The OPP is one of three provincial police forces in Canada
. The others are the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
in Newfoundland and Labrador
and the Sûreté du Québec
in Quebec
.
At the First Parliament
of Upper Canada
on September 17, 1792, at Niagara-on-the-Lake
, provision was made for the formation of a 'police system'. Initially, policing jurisdictions were limited to districts, townships, and parishes. In 1871, four years after Confederation, the Constables' Act extended jurisdiction and gave designated police members authorization to act throughout the province. The first salaried Provincial Constable appointed to act as Detective for the Government of Ontario was John Wilson Murray
(1840–1906), hired in 1875. Murray was joined by two additional detectives in 1897, marking the beginnings of the Criminal Investigation Branch. However, for the most part, policing outside of Ontario's cities was non-existent.
With the discovery of silver in Cobalt
and gold in Timmins
, lawlessness was increasingly becoming a problem in northern Ontario. Police constables were gradually introduced in various areas, until an Order in Council decreed the establishment of a permanent organization of salaried constables designated as The Ontario Provincial Police on October 13, 1909. It consisted of 45 men under the direction of Superintendent Joseph E. Rogers. The starting salary for constables was $400.00 per annum, increased to $900.00 in 1912. The first O.P.P. detachment was located in Bala, Ontario
.
In 1921, restructuring was undertaken with the passing of the Provincial Police Force Act. The title of the commanding officer was changed to Commissioner and given responsibility for enforcing the provisions of the Ontario Temperance Act
and other liquor regulations. Major-General Harry Macintyre Cawthra-Elliot was appointed as the first Commissioner. Christopher D. Lewis
is the current Commissioner, replacing Julian Fantino
, who retired July 31, 2010. Fantino took office in October 2006, succeeding Gwen M. Boniface
.
The O.P.P.'s first line of duty death occurred in 1923 when escaped convict Leo Rogers shot and killed Sergeant John Urquhart near North Bay
. Rogers, who was later killed in a shootout with O.P.P. officers, had already mortally wounded North Bay City Constable Fred Lefebvre.
The first O.P.P. motorcycle patrol was introduced in 1928, phased out in 1942 and then reintroduced in 1949. The first marked O.P.P. patrol car was introduced in 1941.
During World War II
, the Veterans Guard was formed. This was a body of volunteers (primarily World War I
veterans), under the supervision of regular police members, protected vulnerable hydroelectric plants and the Welland Ship Canal.
Volunteers continue to serve with the O.P.P. Auxiliary, which was originally formed in 1960 by an Order in Council when the program absorbed the Emergency Measures Organization who were trained in crowd control and first aid. It is recognized that O.P.P. auxiliary constables shall not be utilized to replace regular members in any duties. The Ontario Police Services Act does, however, provide for instances when the Auxiliary Member may have the authority of a Police Officer. This can occur in an emergency situation where the O.P.P. requires additional strength to cope with a special occasion or event.
Women joined the uniform ranks in 1974.
In 1985, the O.P.P. uniform was made more distinctive with the introduction of a blue trouser stripe to match a blue peak cap band.
In 1995, General Headquarters moved into its new facility in Orillia and for the first time in the history of the organization, all Bureaus were in one building.
During the 1990s, officer uniforms changed with darker shirts and matching body armour vests were introduced. In the early years the OPP wore olive green coloured uniforms.
From 1909 to 1930s, the OPP used stetson as the official headgear and from 1997 to 2008. From 1930s to 1997 the peaked cap was worn and has been returned to service after 2008. During 1997 to 2008, the peaked cap was still worn by commanding officers of the force.
The province is divided into six operational regions:
Field and operational services are provided from 163 police stations and satellite locations throughout Ontario. OPP stations are called "detachments."
The OPP General Headquarters are located in Orillia. Until 1995, the administration and headquarters divisions operated out of a number of buildings in Toronto
. From 1973 to 1995 the headquarters were based out of the old Workmen's Compensation Board
Building at 90 Harbour Street (now being demolished). Operations were moved to Orillia as part of a government move to decentralize ministries and operations to other parts of Ontario. In 1922, the OPP headquarters was on the second floor of the Legislature at Queen's Park in Toronto.
in Aylmer, Ontario
and complete their training at OPP facilities in Orillia. Historically, new recruits were trained in a variety of facilities in and around Toronto until the OPP Training and Development Centre was opened in Brampton
in 1981. It remained in operation until 1998, when training moved to the Orillia headquarters.
The Offender Transportation Program is a cooperative between the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, the OPP, municipalities, and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.
The “Safe, Secure, and On-Time" policy of the Offender Transportation Program ensures that offenders are in court as required and assists the justice system to meets its mandate.
The Offender Transportation Program consists of ten Units located in 5 areas province-wide, and employs over 150 Offender Transport Officers. OPP Offender Transport Officers are appointed as special constables, and have training in first aid/CPR, use-of-force, radio procedures, and professional driving.
Units are located in Ottawa, North Bay, Lindsay, Cobourg, Penetanguishene, Milton, Burlington, Simcoe, Huron and Dutton. The OPP coordinates the administration and operation of the Program through a centralized Office located in Orillia, Ontario.
program. The Ontario Provincial Police Auxiliary program follows a mission statement: “To provide fully trained volunteer Auxiliary Members to perform police duties in special circumstances, including emergencies, when there are not sufficient O.P.P. police officers.”. The O.P.P. auxiliary is a volunteer program where selected citizens receive special training in order to perform many duties such as community policing initiatives and projects, regular patrol, crime and disaster scenes, large gatherings or parades for crowd and traffic control, and traffic control at accidents. The Ontario Provincial Police auxiliary program is the only such Canadian program that requires its auxiliary constables to attend a full time recruit course conducted near its regular training facility in Orillia,. This is followed by ongoing in-service training at the detachments. The program may also serve as a stepping stone for potential future employment. The O.P.P. Auxiliary has an authorised strength of over 900 auxiliary constables and is the largest police auxiliary unit in Ontario.
In 2007, the OPP announced that it would return to a black-and-white colour scheme for its police cruisers.http://www.opp.ca/images/OPP_2007_Black&White_print.jpg Historically, the force had used black-and-white vehicles from the introduction of the first marked police cars in 1941 to 1989 when all-white cars with blue and gold striping were introduced. The change will be implemented starting in March 2007 and should be complete by 2009. Cars will not be repainted, but new vehicles purchased will have the new colour scheme.
The OPP has approximately 1,200 patrol cars in service throughout the province. Common models include the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
, Chevrolet Impala
and Chevrolet Tahoe
. Various vans and SUVs are used as support vehicles including 52 prisoner transport vehicles that are specially designed to transport up to 24 prisoners at a time. Harley Davidson FL motorcycles are used for traffic patrol in the summer months and at least 1 manual transmission Honda Civic SI
is used for Highway Patrol.http://www.engsoc.org/~pat/log/index.cgi/2007/10/index.html
The implementation of the SAVE
units has brought ATV
s into the forefront of proactive policing of recreational activities.
* 677 (star OPP) performs the same function for cell phones, but does not work with all cell phone providers.
's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
contains cover art with Paul McCartney
wearing an OPP patch on his fictional uniform (more easily seen in the gatefold
picture). The patch was given to John Lennon
the day after their 1966 concert in Toronto by a summer student working in the garage of the OPP Headquarters. The group was being transferred to a police van for the trip to the airport.
Many "Paul Is Dead
" enthusiasts have misread the patch as "OPD" (the way the patch was slightly bent on McCartney's sleeve in the gatefold picture, the bottom of the "P" was not visible) and took it to mean "Officially Pronounced Dead."
Canada, O.P.P. officers and spokespersons visit the online application to talk to teens on board the web site's 'Infobus.' During the weekly sessions, users of the Habbo service are able to ask the officers and spokespersons questions, primarily regarding online safety. During the Infobus sessions, the O.P.P. officer talks to the users within the bus about cyberbullying and online safety. The O.P.P. officer holding the session users staff specific tools to ask questions to the whole bus so a more direct answer can be given. This is by using the quiz tool in which users must vote on a multiple choice question which appears in an in-game pop-up. The O.P.P. officers Habbo account is also given moderation powers to control the bus behavior. The O.P.P. officer ingame account is given the CAA badge. (CAA relates to the badge code used when uploading into the badge directory for the Hotels. The "CA" section of the badge relates to the Hotel and the "A" relates to it being the tenth badge to have been uploaded with the "CA" prefix.) This allows users to recognize them whilst in the game and it is this badge that gives them the housekeeping powers needed to run the Quiz Tool.
, the O.P.P. is called into the eponymous town to control a zombie outbreak, ultimately resulting in a massacre. The response of the government to this outbreak draws many parallels to Canadian separatist movements. The film's lead character, Grant Mazzy, vocally denounces the O.P.P.'s actions on the radio.
, OPP cars are shown at the scene of a car accident involving Derek "Wheels" Wheeler and Lucy Fernandez
.
State police
State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
for the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Overview
The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas lacking local police forces. It also provides specialized support to smaller municipal police forces, investigates provincewide and cross-jurisdictional crimeCrime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
s, patrols provincial highways (including Ontario's 400-Series Highways
400-series highways (Ontario)
The 400-series highways are a network of controlled-access highways throughout the southern portion of the Canadian province of Ontario, forming a special subset of the provincial highway system. They are analogous to the Interstate Highway System in the United States or the British Motorway...
) and is responsible for many of the waterways in the province. The OPP also works with other provincial agencies, including the Ministry of Transportation
Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)
The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is the provincial ministry of the government of Ontario which is responsible for transport infrastructure and related law in Ontario. The ministry traces its roots back over a century to the 1890s, when the province began training Provincial Road Building...
and Ministry of Natural Resources
Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario)
The Ministry of Natural Resources is a government ministry of the Canadian province of Ontario that responsible for Ontario’s provincial parks, forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates and the Crown lands and waters that make up 87 per cent of the province...
to enforce highway safety and conservation regulations, respectively. Finally, OPP officers provide security at the Ontario Legislature at Queen's Park in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The OPP is one of three provincial police forces in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The others are the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is a police force in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It provides policing to the communities of St. John's and the Northeast Avalon Peninsula, Corner Brook, Churchill Falls, and Labrador City....
in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and the Sûreté du Québec
Sûreté du Québec
Sûreté du Québec or SQ is the provincial police force for the Canadian province of Québec...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
History
1st Parliament of Upper Canada
The 1st Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 17 September 1792. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in August 1792. All sessions were held at Navy Hall in Newark, later Niagara-on-the-Lake...
of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
on September 17, 1792, at Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
, provision was made for the formation of a 'police system'. Initially, policing jurisdictions were limited to districts, townships, and parishes. In 1871, four years after Confederation, the Constables' Act extended jurisdiction and gave designated police members authorization to act throughout the province. The first salaried Provincial Constable appointed to act as Detective for the Government of Ontario was John Wilson Murray
John Wilson Murray
John Wilson Murray was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and came to North America as a young boy. He joined the United States Navy on 5 June 1857 and became a crew member of the USS Michigan...
(1840–1906), hired in 1875. Murray was joined by two additional detectives in 1897, marking the beginnings of the Criminal Investigation Branch. However, for the most part, policing outside of Ontario's cities was non-existent.
With the discovery of silver in Cobalt
Cobalt, Ontario
Cobalt is a town in the district of Timiskaming, province of Ontario, Canada, with a population of 1,223 In 2001 Cobalt was named "Ontario's Most Historic Town" by a panel of judges on the TV Ontario program Studio 2, and in 2002 the area was designated a National Historic Site.-History:Silver was...
and gold in Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
, lawlessness was increasingly becoming a problem in northern Ontario. Police constables were gradually introduced in various areas, until an Order in Council decreed the establishment of a permanent organization of salaried constables designated as The Ontario Provincial Police on October 13, 1909. It consisted of 45 men under the direction of Superintendent Joseph E. Rogers. The starting salary for constables was $400.00 per annum, increased to $900.00 in 1912. The first O.P.P. detachment was located in Bala, Ontario
Bala, Ontario
Bala is a community located in Muskoka Lakes Township where Lake Muskoka drains into the Moon River at Bala Falls.It is considered one of the hubs of cottage country located north of Toronto. Thus, its year-round population of several hundred is increased by thousands of seasonal residents and...
.
In 1921, restructuring was undertaken with the passing of the Provincial Police Force Act. The title of the commanding officer was changed to Commissioner and given responsibility for enforcing the provisions of the Ontario Temperance Act
Ontario Temperance Act
Ontario Temperance Act was a law passed in Ontario in 1916 to prohibit the sale of alcohol, a period known as Prohibition. This meant the province remained dry in legal terms, but smugglers continued to import alcohol into the province. The cause was the demand of religious elements led by women...
and other liquor regulations. Major-General Harry Macintyre Cawthra-Elliot was appointed as the first Commissioner. Christopher D. Lewis
Christopher D. Lewis
Christopher D. Lewis is a career police officer and the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.-Early career:Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Lewis has been with the Ontario Provincial Police since 1978. His first posting was as a constable in Kapuskasing, Ontario...
is the current Commissioner, replacing Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a November 29, 2010 by-election...
, who retired July 31, 2010. Fantino took office in October 2006, succeeding Gwen M. Boniface
Gwen M. Boniface
Gwen M. Boniface, COM, OOnt, is a Canadian police officer, lawyer, and the former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police ending in 2006. She is the first female to hold this position...
.
The O.P.P.'s first line of duty death occurred in 1923 when escaped convict Leo Rogers shot and killed Sergeant John Urquhart near North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
. Rogers, who was later killed in a shootout with O.P.P. officers, had already mortally wounded North Bay City Constable Fred Lefebvre.
The first O.P.P. motorcycle patrol was introduced in 1928, phased out in 1942 and then reintroduced in 1949. The first marked O.P.P. patrol car was introduced in 1941.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Veterans Guard was formed. This was a body of volunteers (primarily World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
veterans), under the supervision of regular police members, protected vulnerable hydroelectric plants and the Welland Ship Canal.
Volunteers continue to serve with the O.P.P. Auxiliary, which was originally formed in 1960 by an Order in Council when the program absorbed the Emergency Measures Organization who were trained in crowd control and first aid. It is recognized that O.P.P. auxiliary constables shall not be utilized to replace regular members in any duties. The Ontario Police Services Act does, however, provide for instances when the Auxiliary Member may have the authority of a Police Officer. This can occur in an emergency situation where the O.P.P. requires additional strength to cope with a special occasion or event.
Women joined the uniform ranks in 1974.
In 1985, the O.P.P. uniform was made more distinctive with the introduction of a blue trouser stripe to match a blue peak cap band.
In 1995, General Headquarters moved into its new facility in Orillia and for the first time in the history of the organization, all Bureaus were in one building.
During the 1990s, officer uniforms changed with darker shirts and matching body armour vests were introduced. In the early years the OPP wore olive green coloured uniforms.
From 1909 to 1930s, the OPP used stetson as the official headgear and from 1997 to 2008. From 1930s to 1997 the peaked cap was worn and has been returned to service after 2008. During 1997 to 2008, the peaked cap was still worn by commanding officers of the force.
Organization and operations
The Ontario Provincial Police is responsible for providing policing services over one million square kilometres of land and 174 000 km2 of water to a population of 2.3 million people (3.6 million in the summer months). Currently, the O.P.P. has over 5,618 uniformed, 853 auxiliary and 1,765 civilian personnel. The vehicle fleet consists of 2,290 vehicles, 114 marine vessels, 286 snow and all-terrain vehicles, 2 helicopters and 2 fixed-wing aircraft.The province is divided into six operational regions:
- Central (headquartered in Orillia)
- East (headquartered in Smiths FallsSmiths Falls, OntarioSmiths Falls is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is in the census division for Lanark County, but is considered a separated town and does not participate in county government...
) - Highway Safety Division - HSD (headquartered in AuroraAurora, OntarioAurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
) - North-East (headquartered in North BayNorth Bay, OntarioNorth Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
) - North-West (headquartered in Thunder BayThunder Bay-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
) - West (headquartered in LondonLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
)
Field and operational services are provided from 163 police stations and satellite locations throughout Ontario. OPP stations are called "detachments."
The OPP General Headquarters are located in Orillia. Until 1995, the administration and headquarters divisions operated out of a number of buildings in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. From 1973 to 1995 the headquarters were based out of the old Workmen's Compensation Board
Workplace Safety & Insurance Board
The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board was established in 1914. It is a workers' compensation insurer for Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are located in Toronto, Ontario.-History:...
Building at 90 Harbour Street (now being demolished). Operations were moved to Orillia as part of a government move to decentralize ministries and operations to other parts of Ontario. In 1922, the OPP headquarters was on the second floor of the Legislature at Queen's Park in Toronto.
Legislative Security Service
The Legislative Security Service consists of OPP officers whom provide security services to the Legislative Precinct (Legislature Building and Whitney Block) and report to the Sergeant-at-Arms.Training
Recruits attend the Ontario Police CollegeOntario Police College
The Ontario Police College is located in Malahide Township, just east of Aylmer, in Elgin County in Southwestern Ontario, Canada.-Programs:...
in Aylmer, Ontario
Aylmer, Ontario
Aylmer is a town in Elgin County in southern Ontario, Canada, just north of Lake Erie, on Catfish Creek. It is 20 km south of Highway 401...
and complete their training at OPP facilities in Orillia. Historically, new recruits were trained in a variety of facilities in and around Toronto until the OPP Training and Development Centre was opened in Brampton
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
in 1981. It remained in operation until 1998, when training moved to the Orillia headquarters.
Rank
Rank Structure within the OPP is paramilitary or quasi-military in nature, with several 'non-commissioned' ranks leading to the 'officer' ranks. Contrary to popular belief, the Detective ranks fall laterally with the uniform ranks and is not a promotion above.- CadetCadetA cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
- A special placement for those attempting to become a fulltime OPP constable. It is not an official first rank, as initial Constables are not Cadets first. The Cadet program is currently under review. - Special ConstableSpecial constableA Special Constable is a law enforcement officer who is not a regular member of a police force. Some like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police carry the same law enforcement powers as regular members, but are employed in specific roles, such as explosive disposal technicians, court security, campus...
- this class is given the members of General Headquarters Security, Queens Park Security and the Offender Transport Officers. - ConstableConstableA constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
(Detective Constable) - Beginning from 4th Class up to 1st Class (for payscale only), this is the common rank of the OPP. - Senior Constable - This rank is no longer used within the OPP.
- SergeantSergeantSergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
(Detective Sergeant)(Traffic Sergeant) - Staff SergeantStaff SergeantStaff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
(Detective Staff Sergeant)(Traffic Staff Sergeant) - Sergeant MajorSergeant MajorSergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
(Highest 'non-commissioned' rank) - InspectorInspectorInspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
(Detective Inspector) - SuperintendentSuperintendent (police)Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
- Chief SuperintendentChief SuperintendentChief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
- Deputy CommissionerDeputy CommissionerA deputy commissioner is a police or administrative official in many different countries.-Australia:In all Australian police forces, deputy commissioner is the rank directly below that of commissioner and senior to the rank of assistant commissioner except in the New South Wales Police Force, where...
---Another title used is * Provincial Commander - CommissionerCommissionerCommissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
- this is the title of the head of the force
Offender Transport Program
The Offender Transportation Program of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was formed in 2001. It is responsible for the transportation of male and female, adult and young offenders, between secure institutions and the courts, on behalf of municipal police services and the Ontario Provincial Police.The Offender Transportation Program is a cooperative between the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, the OPP, municipalities, and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.
The “Safe, Secure, and On-Time" policy of the Offender Transportation Program ensures that offenders are in court as required and assists the justice system to meets its mandate.
The Offender Transportation Program consists of ten Units located in 5 areas province-wide, and employs over 150 Offender Transport Officers. OPP Offender Transport Officers are appointed as special constables, and have training in first aid/CPR, use-of-force, radio procedures, and professional driving.
Units are located in Ottawa, North Bay, Lindsay, Cobourg, Penetanguishene, Milton, Burlington, Simcoe, Huron and Dutton. The OPP coordinates the administration and operation of the Program through a centralized Office located in Orillia, Ontario.
Auxiliary Program
The OPP has among its many initiatives an auxiliaryAuxiliary police
Auxiliary police or special constables in England) are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated...
program. The Ontario Provincial Police Auxiliary program follows a mission statement: “To provide fully trained volunteer Auxiliary Members to perform police duties in special circumstances, including emergencies, when there are not sufficient O.P.P. police officers.”. The O.P.P. auxiliary is a volunteer program where selected citizens receive special training in order to perform many duties such as community policing initiatives and projects, regular patrol, crime and disaster scenes, large gatherings or parades for crowd and traffic control, and traffic control at accidents. The Ontario Provincial Police auxiliary program is the only such Canadian program that requires its auxiliary constables to attend a full time recruit course conducted near its regular training facility in Orillia,. This is followed by ongoing in-service training at the detachments. The program may also serve as a stepping stone for potential future employment. The O.P.P. Auxiliary has an authorised strength of over 900 auxiliary constables and is the largest police auxiliary unit in Ontario.
Superintendents and Commissioners of the OPP
Ground
The OPP has approximately 1,200 patrol cars in service throughout the province. Common models include the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Though the name has been officially in use since 1992, the 1978–1991 full-size LTDs and LTD Crown Victorias and 1992 updated body style used the "P72" production code designation for both fleet/taxi and police models, with the model itself being internally classified as S...
, Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
and Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
. Various vans and SUVs are used as support vehicles including 52 prisoner transport vehicles that are specially designed to transport up to 24 prisoners at a time. Harley Davidson FL motorcycles are used for traffic patrol in the summer months and at least 1 manual transmission Honda Civic SI
Honda Civic Si
The Honda Civic Si is a sport compact / hot hatch version of the Civic built by the Japanese automaker Honda. The Si trim, which stands for "Sport Injected," was introduced for the third generation of Honda Civics in both Japan and North America...
is used for Highway Patrol.http://www.engsoc.org/~pat/log/index.cgi/2007/10/index.html
The implementation of the SAVE
SAVE
SAVE may refer to:* Esquel Airport's ICAO code* SAVE Foundation * Struggle Against Violent Extremism* A European Union energy saving programme...
units has brought ATV
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
s into the forefront of proactive policing of recreational activities.
Aviation
- Two Eurocopter EC135Eurocopter EC135The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
helicopters received May 27, 2011 - One Pilatus PC12/45Pilatus PC-12The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine turboprop passenger and cargo aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The main market for the aircraft is corporate transport and regional airliner operators.-Design and development:...
- One Cessna 206 Turbo
Maritime
- LIMESTONE 350 ChevroletChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Engine marine vessel - Harbourcraft 17 / 19' marine vessels
- LOWE Sea Nymph 25 hp Mercury MarineMercury MarineMercury Marine, founded in 1939, is a division of Brunswick of Lake Forest, Illinois, in the United States. Mercury provides engines for private, commercial and government sales. Mercury also has its own line of very successful racing engines tailored for power and speed. The company's primary...
vessel - Seaswirl 21' - 24' marine vessels
- Hike Marine launches in various lengths ranging from 19' - 32' and based on Georgian BayGeorgian BayGeorgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
,and the Great LakesGreat LakesThe Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
areas.
Contact phone numbers
1-888-310-1122 allows callers to contact the nearest OPP Communications Centre from anywhere in Ontario.The Beatles folklore
The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
contains cover art with Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
wearing an OPP patch on his fictional uniform (more easily seen in the gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
picture). The patch was given to John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
the day after their 1966 concert in Toronto by a summer student working in the garage of the OPP Headquarters. The group was being transferred to a police van for the trip to the airport.
Many "Paul Is Dead
Paul Is Dead
"Paul is dead" is an urban legend suggesting that Paul McCartney of the English rock band The Beatles died in 1966 and was secretly replaced by a look-alike....
" enthusiasts have misread the patch as "OPD" (the way the patch was slightly bent on McCartney's sleeve in the gatefold picture, the bottom of the "P" was not visible) and took it to mean "Officially Pronounced Dead."
Habbo Hotel
On the online social networking website Habbo HotelHabbo Hotel
Habbo is a social networking site aimed at teenagers. The website is owned and operated by Sulake Corporation. The service began in 2000 and has expanded to include 11 online communities , with users in over 150 countries. As of August 2011, over 230 million avatars have been registered...
Canada, O.P.P. officers and spokespersons visit the online application to talk to teens on board the web site's 'Infobus.' During the weekly sessions, users of the Habbo service are able to ask the officers and spokespersons questions, primarily regarding online safety. During the Infobus sessions, the O.P.P. officer talks to the users within the bus about cyberbullying and online safety. The O.P.P. officer holding the session users staff specific tools to ask questions to the whole bus so a more direct answer can be given. This is by using the quiz tool in which users must vote on a multiple choice question which appears in an in-game pop-up. The O.P.P. officers Habbo account is also given moderation powers to control the bus behavior. The O.P.P. officer ingame account is given the CAA badge. (CAA relates to the badge code used when uploading into the badge directory for the Hotels. The "CA" section of the badge relates to the Hotel and the "A" relates to it being the tenth badge to have been uploaded with the "CA" prefix.) This allows users to recognize them whilst in the game and it is this badge that gives them the housekeeping powers needed to run the Quiz Tool.
Pontypool
In the Canadian horror film PontypoolPontypool (film)
Pontypool is a 2009 Canadian horror film directed by Bruce McDonald and adapted by Tony Burgess from Burgess' novel Pontypool Changes Everything.- Plot :...
, the O.P.P. is called into the eponymous town to control a zombie outbreak, ultimately resulting in a massacre. The response of the government to this outbreak draws many parallels to Canadian separatist movements. The film's lead character, Grant Mazzy, vocally denounces the O.P.P.'s actions on the radio.
School's Out
In the 1992 Degrassi film, School's OutSchool's Out (film)
School's Out is a 1992 Canadian television movie featuring the characters of the popular Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High series. The show's longtime team of writers scripted this feature-length movie and shot it during the summer of 1991 to be shown on CBC Television during the new year...
, OPP cars are shown at the scene of a car accident involving Derek "Wheels" Wheeler and Lucy Fernandez
Lucy Fernandez
Lucy Fernandez is a fictional character in "Degrassi Junior High;" "Degrassi High;" the Degrassi High follow-up movie, "School's Out;" and "Degrassi: The Next Generation." She is portrayed by the actress, Anais Granofsky in all of the Degrassi series....
.
External links
- Ontario Provincial Police Website
- Road Watch, was started by the Caledon, OntarioCaledon, OntarioCaledon is a town in the Regional Municipality of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. In terms of land use, Caledon is somewhat urban, though it is primarily rural in nature...
Provincial Police detachment. - Highway Safety Division - Aircraft Enforcement Program
- Caledonia Land DisputeCaledonia land disputeThe current Grand River land dispute came to wide attention in Canada on February 28, 2006. On that date, protesters from the Six Nations of the Grand River began a demonstration to raise awareness about First Nation land claims in Ontario, Canada...