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Succeeding Together: A Tribute to the Strength of Collaboration Among Police Departments

By Michael Sale

Be a Fan Day on Thursday, October 25, was a big hit in Canada. This national celebration honors those who make Special Olympics possible, including athletes, volunteer and in particular those in the Canadian law enforcement community. Be a Fan Day was supported by law enforcement agencies across Canada who were wearing red laces in their boots, in support of Special Olympics and in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. There were a lot of red shoelaces on display and even the Prime Minister’s wife was seen wearing red laces in support of Special Olympics!

Still wearing his red laces for “Be a Fan” day, Mike Sale shows off a brand new copy of Succeeding Together, a history of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ontario Police College and the Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

I was asked by Glenn MacDonell, Director of Special Olympics Ontario, to participate in a small celebration at police headquarters in Kingston, Ontario. It brought back many memories about an event that I remember from the very beginning.

In 1982, as a result of fate or some random luck, I was appointed coordinator for the 1987 annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in Toronto, Ontario. In October 1986, I arranged for the Metropolitan Toronto Police to staff a promotional booth at the annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee. We were across the aisle from another booth that was drawing enormous crowds while promoting something called the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. A map of the United States indicated that about 25 states had established torch run programs and there was great excitement at the prospect of recruiting more states to join the movement. I knew something very special was happening, especially when I saw Eunice Kennedy Shriver arrive at the booth to congratulate those who were there.

When we returned home to Toronto, I consulted with our Chief of Police, Jack Marks and Police Constable Lorne White, our running club chairman, and we realized this torch run program needed to be looked into, just in case there was something we could do for our conference the following year. This decision led to a two-hour telephone call to the founder of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, Chief Richard LaMunyon, of the Wichita, Kansas, Police Department. We were instantly “hooked” on the concept.

Chief Marks knew that the best way to launch a similar program in Ontario was to seek its adoption by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP). Within a few short weeks of the Nashville conference, Lorne White was briefing the executive members of OACP and he received overwhelming approval to proceed with arrangements for an Ontario law enforcement torch run to take place in June 1987. The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics had arrived in Canada. It was an overwhelming success and grew to become “the best thing we do” in OACP. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) stepped in to support a national program and to encourage participation by every province and territory. For a quarter century, the Law Enforcement Torch Run continued to grow to become one of the most reliable programs that supported Special Olympics and the Canadian program was soon being recognized internationally for its great success.

Coincidentally, the 25th anniversary of the first Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run occurred at about the same time as the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the 50th anniversary of the Ontario Police College (OPC), another great institution conceived and supported by OACP. Along the way, I found myself recruited to work once again with Lorne White and Jim Jordan, a retired Canadian Special Olympics executive who was in charge of Ontario Special Olympics back in 1987 when the program was launched. Together, we three conspired to create a short history highlighting the formative days of OACP, OPC and the Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

It was decided that this publication would debut on October 25, 2012, on the occasion of “Be a Fan” day. It was my privilege to present a copy of the book to the Kingston Police Service during their Be a Fan Day celebration. It was my great pleasure to remind them of the important role Kingston Police have played in support of the Torch Run from the very first day; after all, it was their Chief of Police, Gerald Rice, who was serving as OACP president when the decision to adopt the Torch Run was approved.

Succeeding Together tells the story of visionary police leaders and their determination to establish and promote three great organizations in the fields of police leadership, training and public service. The book will serve as a commemorative souvenir for anyone who has an interest in the origins of OACP, OPC and the Law Enforcement Torch Run. Proceeds will support Special Olympics Ontario.

Leischen Kranick is a Managing Editor at AMU Edge. She has 15 years of experience writing articles and producing podcasts on topics relevant to law enforcement, fire services, emergency management, private security, and national security.

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