By Michael Sale
As I returned home from the annual re-training conference of the FBI National Academy Associates, I could see the Purolator sticker on the front door when I pulled into the driveway. I wasn’t expecting anything to be delivered while I was away, but my curiosity piqued when I arrived at the local depot the next morning and was handed a large, bulky envelope from the Niagara Regional Police. I should mention here and now, that I’ve been a fan of the Niagara Regional Police since the organization was one of the first of its kind in Ontario, a regional police force forged through the amalgamation of 12 area police departments back in 1971.
Like any other police force I’ve known, Niagara Regional Police have had their ups and downs over the years, but they’ve become one of the most respected police services in Canada and their contributions toward the advancement of the profession ranks with the best. I also remember that Niagara Regional Police were the first in Ontario to create a video unit to adopt this convenient new technology as a means to enhance all aspects of policing.
One of the most obvious benefits of this special service was the ability to support police training through video programming. By the middle of the 1990s, the reputation of Niagara’s police video training productions had attracted the attention of other police forces and it wasn’t long before the Ontario Police Video Training Alliance (OPVTA) was created for a growing network of dedicated education and training specialists. The OPVTA story can be found by visiting their web site OR by reading a recent feature in HQ magazine, the official publication of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.
But I’ve been digressing (as I like to do).
When I opened the envelope, four brand new police training DVDs fell out, accompanied by a letter from Jamie Saunders, manager of the Niagara Regional Police video unit and executive director of OPVTA and a couple of recent OPVTA newsletters, highlighting new releases. Here’s what I received:
- Cover and Concealment – Vehicle Stops addresses several routine scenarios in which police officers often find themselves, especially when encountering dangerous, or suspicious, people. The video stresses the importance of good planning and teamwork. It concludes with the tragic story of Ontario Provincial Police Constable Vu Pham and the effective response of a fellow officer who arrived to bring the situation to a conclusion.
- Investigative Detention: Traffic Stop Articulation is a 15-minute video dealing with the law as it relates to detaining people—especially motorists—and the skills required by police officers to properly explain to the courts that such intervention is undertaken in accordance with the individual rights and freedoms that protect citizens from unlawful detention, search and seizure.
- Every Step Counts (Alzheimer’s Disease and Missing Person Search) is a timely video that provides insight into one of the most concerning diseases affecting our aging population. Viewers are introduced to the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s, followed by valuable advice that describes the urgent need for wandering patients to be located and returned to proper care as soon as possible.
- Speaking of Leadership is the first in a series of video productions in which recognized leaders from various fields of the public service share their insights and experiences to illustrate what has worked well, and not so well, during their careers in the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and in municipal policing.
Representing the policing sector, Chief Bryan Larkin of the Guelph Police Service (Ontario), describes his leadership style that influenced his rapid progression through the ranks to become one of Ontario’s youngest chiefs of police. Unfortunately, a day after celebrating his first successful year as chief, he is confronted by one of the most important challenges of his career when one of his most popular officers dies in a horrific crash while responding to a call. In his own words, he shares his most personal thoughts about his role as chief of police, his own emotions as a person and the commitment he makes to the citizens of his city, his police family and himself.
With nearly 140 productions completed to date, the Ontario Police Video Training Alliance is firmly established as a major player in the Canadian Police training business. Leading edge, relevant and timely are words that describe the quality of every production. I’m taking the time to review and make good use of the DVDs that come my way. Thanks to the early vision of the Niagara Regional Police, and the partnerships they have supported, Ontario’s video training roster continues to grow and improve.
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