Niagara Regional Police Service
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| Niagara Regional Police Service | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Motto | Unity, Loyalty, Responsibility |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | January 1, 1971 |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Niagara Falls, Ontario |
| Sworn members | 650 |
| Unsworn members | 350 |
| Elected officer responsible |
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| Agency executive |
|
| Facilities | |
| Divisions | 6 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) provides policing services for the Regional Municipality of Niagara in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The NRPS was established on January 1, 1971 and is the oldest regional police service in Ontario. Its headquarters is located in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Organization
The NRPS provides all general policing duties in the region, including patrol of municipal and regional roads and waterways within the region, including the Welland Canal, the Niagara River and lakes Ontario and Erie. Patrol of provincial highways in the region, such as the Queen Elizabeth Way, is handled by the Ontario Provincial Police, while patrol services on Niagara Parks Commission property is handled by the Niagara Parks Police Service. The NRPS is, however, mandated to investigate all major crimes in the region, including those that occur on provincial highways or on NPC property.
Police chiefs
- Albert E. Shennan January 1, 1971 - May 31, 1977
- Donald Harris May 31, 1977 - December 31, 1983
- James A. Gayder January 1, 1984 - March 4, 1987
- John E. Shoveller August 31, 1987 - March 1, 1993
- J. Grant Waddell March 1, 1993 - 2000
- Gary E. Nicholls August 11, 2000 - January 1, 2005
- Wendy E. Southall January 1, 2005 - June 18, 2012
- Jeffrey McGuire June 18, 2012 – July 14, 2017
- Bryan MacCulloch July 14, 2017
Ranks and insignia
| Rank | Chief of police | Deputy chief | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia
(Slip-on) |
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| Insignia
(Shoulder board) |
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Shoulder boards not used for these ranks | ||
Districts
The Niagara Regional Police Service is divided into six districts:
- 1 District - 68 Church Street, St. Catharines
- 2 District - 5700 Valley Way, Niagara Falls
- 3 District - 5 Lincoln Street West, Welland
- 5 District - 650 Gilmore Road, Fort Erie
- 6 District - 501 Fielden Avenue, Port Colborne
- 8 District - 45 Clarke Street, Grimsby
Headquarters and administrative offices are located at 5700 Valley Way, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Auxiliary and support services are located on Cushman Road in St. Catharines.
Units
The Niagara Regional Police Service is broken down into units of specific responsibility. Some of these units include
- Auxiliary police
- Canine
- Child abuse
- Court services
- District detective offices
- Domestic violence
- Emergency task (ETU)
- Explosives disposal
- Forensic services
- Central fraud
- "Guns, Gangs and Grows"
- Homicide
- Marine
- Morality
- Policy and risk management
- Polygraph
- Professional standards
- Sexual assault
- Special enforcement
- Special investigative services
- District street crime
- Collision reconstruction
- Underwater search and recovery
- Uniform patrol officers
- Victim services / youth crime
Crest
- St. Edward's Crown
- ribbon containing the words Unity, Responsibility, Loyalty
- the shield contains:
- a golden St. Edward's Crown
- two symbols with waves representing the Welland Canal
- wreath of golden maple leaves
- Trillium of Ontario
Fleet
A partial list of the Niagara Regional Police's fleet consists of the following:
| Make | Origin | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Charger |  Canada
|
2006–present | Photo |
| Dodge Magnum | Canada
|
2006–present | Photo |
| Ford Taurus |  United States
|
2002–present | Photo |
| Chevrolet Impala | Canada
|
2002–present | Photo |
| Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor | Canada
|
1998–present | Photo |
| Ford Freestar RIDE vehicle | Canada
|
2005–present | Photo |
| Chrysler PT Cruiser community/education vehicle |  Mexico
|
2003–2005 | Photo |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | United States
|
Photo | |
| Ford F350 | United States
|
Photo | |
| Ford Expedition | United States
|
Photo | |
| Ford Explorer | United States
|
Photo | |
| Jeep Cherokee | United States
|
Photo | |
| Dodge Polara | United States
|
1970s | Retired, Photo |
| Chevrolet Caprice | Canada
|
1970s-1998 | Retired |
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Following changes to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act in August 2007, the Niagara Regional Police Service began replacing red and white "Street Hawk" emergency lights on police vehicles with new blue and red LED lights. Older-style light bars were gradually phased out through attrition.
Niagara Regional Police Service marked patrol vehicles have historically been white in colour. In the late 1980s to the early 1990s, they were distinguished with royal blue hoods and a single blue stripe on the sides of the vehicle. In the mid-1990s, the service adopted the crest used today, switching to blue and green stripes on the sides of patrol vehicles, and abandoning the traditional blue hoods. This striping change was relatively short lived, with the service soon adopting red and blue striping more commonly seen on police vehicles in Ontario. In 2013, the Niagara Regional Police Service commenced a re-branding of marked patrol vehicles, adopting a black and white colour scheme, with silver and red graphics, which is being phased in as vehicles are replaced through attrition.
Niagara Regional Police Service pipes and drums
The Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band is a grade three pipe band based in Niagara Falls.[1]
The band's pipe major is Peter MacKenzie.
There was a grade 2 pipe band in existence until the end of the 2009 season, led by Dave Goodall (pipe major) and Graham Kirkwood (drum sergeant), however, that group dissolved in fall of 2009.
Niagara Regional Police Male Chorus
The Niagara Regional Police Male Chorus was formed in 1996 with the encouragement of Chief Grant Waddell to celebrate the force's twenty-fifth anniversary. With the sponsorship of Chief Waddell they were granted the right to perform.
The Niagara Regional Police Male Chorus, facing reduced numbers, was disbanded in 2011.[citation needed]
Niagara Regional Police Mounted Unit
Members of the mounted unit are part of the force's colour guard.
There are three horses in the unit with three other horses retired. Two of the three horses are owned by the NRP.
On November 25, 2010, the Niagara Regional Mounted Unit was disbanded for budgetary reasons. The annual budget of $30,000.00 used to care for the horses was redistributed elsewhere.
Members killed in the line of duty
Since its founding, the NRPS has lost seven of its officers in the line of duty.
| Rank and name | Date | Cause of death |
|---|---|---|
| Constable Charles Richards | October 2, 1854 | Gunfire |
| Constable Joseph Trueman | December 22, 1922 | Gunfire |
| Constable James A. McNicoll | September 2, 1930 | Gunfire |
| Constable Dennis Winstanley | February 3, 1962 | Struck by an automobile |
| Constable Luciano De Simone | May 2, 1974 | Automobile accident |
| Constable Stephen Peazel | January 25, 1988 | Pulmonary embolism |
| Constable Jeffrey Paolozzi | February 6, 1993 | Accidental gunfire |
| Constable Daniel Rathonyi | September 15, 2005 | Heart failure |
See also
References
- ^ "Penetangore Pipers claim top prizes at Scottish Festival". Kincardine News, ROB LIDDLE, SPECIAL TO THE NEWS July 9, 2008