Order of Merit of the Police Forces Investiture Ceremony

News Release

Governor General to Invest 34 Recipients into the Order of Merit of the Police Forces

May 7, 2012

OTTAWA—His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will preside over an Order of Merit of the Police Forces investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. The Governor General, who is chancellor of the Order, will bestow the honour on 1 Commander, 9 Officers and 24 Members.

The Order of Merit of the Police Forces was created in 2000, to recognize conspicuous merit and exceptional service by members and employees of the Canadian police forces whose contributions extend beyond protection of the community. Three levels of membership with post-nominal letters reflect long-term, outstanding service: Commander (C.O.M.), Officer (O.O.M.) and Member (M.O.M.).

A media schedule for the investiture ceremony, the list of recipients and a backgrounder on the Order are attached.

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Media interested in covering this ceremony are asked to confirm with the Rideau Hall Press Office and must arrive at the Princess Anne Entrance no later than 10:45 a.m. on the day of the event.

For information on the Order and on the ceremony:
Marie-Pierre Bélanger
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-9166
marie-pierre.belanger@gg.ca

For information on RCMP recipients:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Media Relations
613-843-5999
www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca

For information on the recipients:
Sara Sowieta
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
613-595-1101
sara@cacp.ca

Follow GGDavidJohnston and RideauHall on Facebook and Twitter

CEREMONY SCHEDULE

Members of the media are asked to observe the following schedule:

11:00 a.m.:
Ceremony begins
The Governor General speaks
The Governor General presents the insignia
(Commander first, followed by Officers and Members)
The RCMP Commissioner speaks

Noon:
Interviews with recipients

RECIPIENTS

COMMANDER

Chief William Sterling Blair, C.O.M.
This is a promotion within the Order.

Toronto Police Service, Ont.

OFFICERS

Assistant Commissioner Roger L. Brown, O.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Regina, Sask.
Chief Constable Michael Robert Chadwick, O.O.M.	Saanich Police Department, B.C.
Superintendent Mario Di Tommaso, O.O.M.	Toronto Police Service, Ont.
Director General Robert C. Fahlman, O.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, Ont.
Chief Robert Philip Johnston, O.O.M.	Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, N.L.
Deputy Chief Constable Douglas A. LePard, O.O.M. This is a promotion within the Order.	Vancouver Police Department, B.C.
Chief Thomas Mathew McKenzie, O.O.M.	Lethbridge Regional Police Service, Alta.
Chief Stephen J. Tanner, O.O.M.	Kingston Police, Ont.
Chief Matthew A. Torigian, O.O.M.	Waterloo Regional Police Service, Ont.

MEMBERS

Sergeant Jocelyn April, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal, Que.
Mr. Alexandre Beaudoin, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal, Que.
Maître Francis Brabant, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal, Que.
Staff Sergeant Patrick Adrian Cahill, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Placentia, N.L.
Sergeant François Caron, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal, Que.
Assistant Director General François Charpentier, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal, Que.
Superintendent Deborah A. Clark, M.O.M.	Hamilton Police Service, Ont.
Deputy Chief Andrew M. Fletcher, M.O.M.	Halton Regional Police Service, Ont.
Chief Inspector Yves Guay, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Que.
Sergeant John Mark Houldsworth, M.O.M.	Ottawa Police Service, Ont.
Deputy Chief Constable Richard John Lucy, M.O.M.	Abbotsford Police Department, B.C.
Sergeant Michael J. MacDonald, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Milton, Ont.
Constable Linda A. Malcolm, M.O.M.	Vancouver Police Department, B.C.
Sergeant Michael A. Novakowski, M.O.M.	Abbotsford Police Department, B.C.
Inspector Trent Rolfe, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, B.C.
Sergeant Daniel Patrick Russell, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, London, Ont.
Inspector Sean Ryan, M.O.M.	Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, N.L.
Detective Constable Jonathan P. R. Sheldan, M.O.M.	Victoria Police Department, B.C.
Superintendent William Stewart, M.O.M.	Hamilton Police Service, Ont.
Chief Superintendent Richard Bruce Taylor, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Edmonton, Alta.
Deputy Chief S. Brent Thomlison, M.O.M.	Waterloo Regional Police Service, Ont.
Inspector Scott A. Thompson, M.O.M.	Vancouver Police Department, B.C.
Inspector Richard Wayne Votour, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Fredericton, N.B.
Deputy Chief Alan Williams, M.O.M.	North Bay Police Service, Ont.

Please note that the information in this program reflects the rank and posting of the members at the time of their appointment to the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.

ORDER OF MERIT OF THE POLICE FORCES FACT SHEET

The Order of Merit of the Police Forces honours a career of exceptional service or distinctive merit displayed by the men and women of Canadian police forces, and recognizes their commitment to this country. The primary focus is on exceptional merit, contributions to policing and community development.

The commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Principal Commander of the Order, submits recommendations for appointment to the governor general on behalf of an advisory committee. Nominations for appointment to the Order may be made by submitting the name of a member or employee of a police force to the commanding officer of that police force.

Levels and post-nominals

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the Sovereign of the Order; the governor general is the chancellor and one of the commanders of the Order. The Principal Commander is the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Commander – Post-nominals: C.O.M.

Recognizes outstanding meritorious service and demonstrated leadership in duties of great responsibility over an extended period, usually at the national or international level.
Officer – Post-nominals: O.O.M.

Recognizes outstanding meritorious service in duties of responsibility over an extended period, usually at the regional or provincial level.
Member – Post-nominals: M.O.M.

Recognizes exceptional service or performance of duty over an extended period, usually at the local or regional/provincial level.

Insignia Description

The badge of the Order is the same as that of the Order of Military Merit: a blue-enamelled, straight-end cross (four arms, narrow at the centre, wider at the ends) with an annulus in red, surmounted by St. Edward’s Crown. The ribbon is different and consists of three equal bands of blue, gold and blue. The annulus bears the inscription MERIT.MÉRITE.CANADA.

For more information about the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, visit the Honours section of our website at www.gg.ca, or visit the website of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police at www.cacp.ca.

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Order of Merit of the Police Forces Investiture Ceremony

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