LPS In Focus

The warmth of the evening has brought people out in droves. The patios are busy, everyone is hopeful the cool weather has finally come to an end.

For the men and women of the London Police Service’s 2 Section, it is another night on the street filled with running from call to call as the requests for service continue to stack up in the queue.

At police headquarters, officers have gathered to start shift. Sgt. Nigel Stuckey leads ‘parade,’ a briefing to provide any needed information about the upcoming shift – people to be on the lookout for, any information about potential incidents.

“Stay safe,” he says, wrapping up the briefing. “See you out there.”

On this evening, there is a Level 1 search for a missing person underway. A Level 1 search means there is significant concern for the safety of the missing person, be it because of physical or mental health issues, or because of the possibility of foul play. Most often, a Level 1 search is for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s who has become lost or someone who may be having suicidal ideations or a significant mental health episode.

The LPS command centre – a retrofitted mobile home-type vehicle – is the brain centre of the search. It is where incident commander S/Sgt. D’Wayne Price oversees the operation. Parked under a city overpass, it is home base for the army of searchers.

In addition to members of the Public Order Unit (POU), on this evening the Marine Unit is out to search nearby waterways, and auxiliary constables search on foot with members of the London Search and Rescue – a volunteer charitable organization that helps police in searching for vulnerable missing people.

Each is equipped with a GPS that tracks the area they individually cover. It is all uploaded into mapping software, providing the POU search manager with an overall look of the area covered.

“It is a large commitment of resources but essential when someone is potentially at risk,” says S/Sgt. Price.

As the search continues, other officers work the rest of the city answering calls from the public. Driving down Centre Street, a man driving by waves down A/Sgt. Doug Brown to let him know he’s concerned about a person on the sidewalk on the corner of Wellington and Dundas streets.

Upon arrival, there is a person covered by a blanket, with belongings scattered around. A/Sgt. Brown dons protective gloves and gently shakes the person’s foot. The person moves and sits up. A/Sgt. Brown greets her by name.

Later he says he first met her around 2005. At the time, she had an apartment where she lived with her son. Since then, she has continued to struggle with a drug addiction, and now is, at times, living on the street. He speaks with her softly, making sure she is okay.

A/Sgt. Brown is a supervisor with 2 Section and it is his job to keep on top of everything happening on the shift. He and Sgt. Stuckey manage this shift, providing support and advice to constables responding to calls. They will also respond to all serious, or Priority 1, calls. Priority 1s require lights and sirens because there is a risk to someone’s life or there is a crime in progress.

His SUV is his command centre. There’s the mobile work station that lists all of the active calls and enables officers to look up occurrences and check for warrants, outstanding charges, driving restrictions, etc. from their vehicles. There are also two police radios going.

One of the radios goes off with a call from dispatch for anyone in the downtown area. A call has come in to assist an officer who spotted a vehicle missing a licence plate that sped off. The truck was spotted moments later, abandoned behind a business on Dundas Street. The driver has bolted. A/Sgt. Brown is in the area and heads there to assist. A Canine Unit is also nearby and quickly arrives.

Cst. Matt Haylor and police dog Kylo pick up the track and follows it to King Street where a backpack, believed to be the suspect’s, is located, and where a couple of residents say they saw someone running through their backyards. A search of the dumped truck turns up two large hunting knives and some suspected crack.

Later, another radio call for all cars in the area comes in. A man damaged a person’s vehicle and ran. With a vague description and a general direction, A/Sgt. Brown heads to the area. Driving down Richmond Street, he spots a young man turn the corner from Dundas Street and run into a recessed building entrance, peeking back out to see if anyone is behind him. Good timing works in A/Sgt. Brown’s favour on this call. After some checking, the young man is arrested for providing a false name and to face several outstanding warrants. The investigation into the vehicle damage will follow.

It is the early morning hours as A/Sgt. Brown’s shift comes to an end. Throughout the night he has periodically stopped to do paperwork and administrative tasks. There will be more once he parks his ‘office’ for the night.

“The work is always there,” A/Sgt. Brown says. “Often the calls can seem repetitive but we have to treat every single one as if it is unique. For those people who need our help – at least at that moment – this is the most important thing in their life.”

The dispatch queue is down to about a dozen calls now of the more than 600 9-1-1 calls received this day. But closing time for the bars is near. The weather is still good and the patios are now packed, so the work continues for those who protect and serve.

This police week the London Police Service is celebrating the more than 800 sworn and civilian employees and volunteer auxiliary officers who are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of London`s communities.

Backing up the men and women in blue are more than 200 civilian employees working behind the scene. In today’s Police Week series installment, Insp. Paul Bastien, then head of London Police Human Resources, reflects on the importance of their work.

When people think of police work, surely the first images that come to mind are those of police officers in uniform, operating marked police cars. Typical duties they imagine likely include officers making traffic stops, responding to emergencies with lights and sirens and making arrests.

If someone has been involved in one way or another with the justice system or has seen media reports relating to the investigation of a serious crime, they may recall police detectives dressed in business suits or tactical officers dressed in specialized uniforms and using specialized equipment. All of these are important functions but they form only a small part of a much bigger picture.

Sworn police officers rely on a small army of civilian members who operate behind the scenes and go largely unnoticed by members of the public.

Civilians perform mission-critical roles including answering and dispatching emergency calls for service, analyzing electronics for trace evidence, handling and tracking evidence, processing and filing paperwork and data necessary to keep major case investigations on track and bring offenders to justice, analyzing crime trends, maintaining IT, facility and motor vehicle infrastructure, and providing support to victims of crime, just to name a few. Others are involved in the administration of financial and budgeting processes, recruiting and training processes, stationary and equipment stores, executive and general administration. In most cases, the first voice a caller will hear is that of a civilian when they dial 9-1-1 or one of our non-emergency numbers.

Looking back on the first few years of my career, I failed, even from my position inside the organization, to appreciate how big a role civilian members across the organization play in the day-to-day work of sworn police officers. 

Now, with the benefit of 20-plus years of hindsight, and especially in my role in Human Resources, I have a much fuller appreciation for the way they contribute to our successes as individuals and as an organization as a whole.

The theme of the 2018 Police Week is “Celebrating Policing and Community Partnerships.” We too often overlook that ‘celebrating policing’ includes recognizing those who may not carry a badge but who are just as committed to making a difference in the community they are dedicated to serving. 

Insp. Paul Bastien

For Kai Zhang, it’s about the pride of the uniform.

“Being in uniform is my dream,” says the London Police Service special constable. “I feel so fulfilled and I’m so proud to have the chance to serve my community. I’m really glad that the London Police Service gave me a chance to be a special constable. The dream came true.”

Special constables are civilians in uniform who perform various roles within the LPS. Special Constable Zhang works at the London Courthouse as a Court Prisoner Security Officer (CPSO), providing security in the facility’s holding cells and transporting prisoners safely and securely as they move throughout the building.

When they are hired, special constables are sworn in as peace officers. They receive intensive training, including use of force training, but do not carry firearms or do investigative work. Depending on their position, they can take DNA samples, fingerprint prisoners, and perform other processing work.

“This job has a lot of the same aspects as policing,” says Special Constable Chantale Linner, who is also a CPSO at the London Courthouse. “Sometimes it can be tough because we’re dealing with people who have allegedly committed crimes, but there are still times when you can have a conversation with someone who might actually change. You have youth you can try to help from a perspective of, ‘Why are you here? Let this be the first and last time.’”

Special Constables Jeannie Weber and Rosemary Guil like the day-to-day variety in their work, plus the challenge of tracking down people who often don’t want to be found. As Summons Servers, their job is to deliver summonses, subpoenas, and other court-related documents as part of the legal process. Every morning, they come to Headquarters, get the background information on the people they need to serve, and then go out into the city to find them.

“It can be difficult trying to serve people who make every effort to avoid you,” says Guil, who is a veteran of over 15 years in the role. “When you’ve been hunting for someone for so long and you come face to face it’s very satisfying. We might look harmless, but we’re very effective.”

Summons Servers work alone. They are in uniform and are trained in use of force, but do not have firearms. They carry pepper spray and a baton, and can call in regular constables for support if they are in danger or an arrest needs to be made.

In many cases, the hardest part of their job is dealing with family members – usually as a last resort – during their search who may be surprised, upset, or even hostile about proceedings. 

“You try to use everything at your disposal,” Weber says. “Sometimes that means contacting family or showing up at people’s work and they don’t like that. You can take it personally, and that gets to you, but you remind yourself that you’re just doing your job.”

Their job is an important part of the legal process, and the Summons Servers are on the front line, making sure it is carried out properly. Like all of LPS’s special constables, Guil and Weber approach their work with professionalism and tenacity. 

“We don’t know what’s behind that door until they open it, but the information we get gives us an idea who we’re dealing with,” Guil says. “At the end of the day you come back with your pile of served documents and you’ve done a good job. We have an excellent unit. We get the job done.”

There is so much that simply couldn’t be done without them.

They are the London Police Service’s auxiliary officers, a complement of nearly fifty citizens from all walks of life who volunteer more than 7,000 hours a year, working alongside sworn officers to provide much needed services to Londoners.

“They allow us to do things we just wouldn’t be able to do,” says Cst. Cathy Fountain, coordinator of the Auxiliary Program for the London Police Service (LPS). “From supplementing our officers in searches for missing people and providing traffic control support during major events, to conducting crime prevention initiatives and giving tours of headquarters, our auxiliary officers have a very important role in this city.”

For Aux. Cst. Cindy Milne-Wren, it was a “great admiration and respect” for police officers instilled by her father that drew her to becoming an auxiliary officer 17 years ago. She was attending the LPS Citizens Academy program when she first learned about the program and applied immediately.

Like most of the LPS auxiliary officers, Aux. Cst. Milne-Wren is in it to give back to the community and for the opportunity to work with police officers. As a social worker, working in a local hospital, she see what happens when people are brought into the emergency but being out on the street gives her the chance to see what happens before that.

Auxiliary officers are a key component when there is a search for a missing person and for Aux. Cst. Milne-Wren, it is one of the most rewarding assignments. “I am excited to be able to help,” she explains. “I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like to be a family looking for a loved one.”

While auxiliaries work with sworn officers, they can be distinguished by a light blue uniform shirt and ‘Auxiliary’ shoulder flash, as well as a black-and-red checker-patterned hat band. There is a competitive selection process that include an interview, physical fitness testing and a detailed background security check. Applicants must commit to serving a minimum of 15 hours a month for two years.

Once selected, they must successfully complete 60 hours of training that includes presentations on everything from the law and use-of-force procedures to drug and major crime investigations.

Scott Bridge, an auxiliary recruit in the current class, wanted something different from his day job as a supply chain manager with a local manufacturing company. “I am very active and this is a good way to see all the aspects of London and to give back to the city,” says the 39-year-old marathon runner, who is looking forward to enhancing his connection to the London community.

A recent experience in a local grocery store reinforced his belief this will be a rewarding endeavour. He happened upon a woman, frantic because she couldn’t find her young son. He was able to calm her enough to get the boy’s name and have an announcement made in the store.

Then, thinking like a four-year-old, he headed to the toy section. Bridge soon located the boy and brought him back to his mom. “That good feeling is what I hope will come from this,” he reflected.

If Aux. Cst. Milne-Wren’s experience is any indication, that hope will come true.

“It really is a privilege,” she says. “It’s been a very important part of my life and I am very thankful for it.”

For more information becoming an auxiliary constable, visit the Career Section

Volunteer as an Auxiliary Officer

They are the future of policing in London.

Young, eager, and prepared to serve, London Police Service cadets play an important role within the Detention Unit at police headquarters and London Courthouse as they train for careers in law enforcement.

“You see a lot of different things,” says Cadet Adam Nowakowski, who has been at Headquarters for about a year and a half. “You see the best and the worst. Anybody who gets arrested in London for a criminal charge comes through here. We see all of the faces. It tests you from that perspective, so you know what’s out there and what you can deal with.”

Typically in their early 20s, cadets work full-time, spending roughly one year at Headquarters and one year at the London Courthouse, earning on-the-job experience and getting the real picture of what it’s like to be a police officer. From there, most continue on to become constables.   

The cadet training program is immersive and practical. Cadets at Headquarters photograph and fingerprint prisoners, handle charge packages, and keep cells – and prisoners – secure. It’s an intense experience that puts cadets at the heart of the policing process.

Cadet Kate Gordon remembers the first prisoner she processed on her first day at Headquarters.

“It was a little nerve-wracking,” she says. “The individual was facing major charges, so it was right into the deep end, but it’s such a supportive environment. I knew that my trainer, partner, and sergeant had my back.”

That sense of team is fundamental to effective policing. Cadets learn very quickly how to look out for each other, and how to keep everyone safe in what can be a stressful environment. The bonds they build extend beyond work and often turn into friendships on and off the job.

“We’re all friends,” says Cadet Jessica Naccarato of the 22 cadets in the program. “We all hang out together and talk about the job. It’s nice having a group of people going through the same thing as you and who you can de-brief with.”

Naccarato has moved into the second phase of the program at the London Courthouse. She is excited to learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities of policing.

“Cadets have two more years of experience than people coming in off the street (to apply to become constables),” she explains. “Even something as simple as signing out a radio or listening to the radio or being able to put on a uniform. We’ve been doing it for two years. It’s also an opportunity for us to become even more serious about police work. The program makes you more of an adult so much quicker.”

Cadets at the London Courthouse are primarily responsible for security at the main entrance, which means scanning for weapons and drugs as people enter the building. They learn to engage with the public, including those who have been drawn into the legal system as witnesses, jurors, lawyers, or relatives of people involved in trials. They also transport prisoners from holding cells to court and back.

Like their colleagues at Headquarters, they have to be alert, poised, and prepared to handle whatever situation they encounter. They also develop a deeper understanding of how to connect with people in custody in a proactive way.  

“At the courthouse you’re dealing with people who have already been in custody,” says Cadet Dallas Windibank. “Generally they are calmer here (than at the Headquarters Detention Unit) because they haven’t just been arrested. Over here you can build a bond with people. It prepares you for the street, so when you encounter them you know how each of them responds and you can de-escalate the situation according to who you’re dealing with.  

“If I were to go out on the road without the cadet program behind me, it would be a completely different story. You build so much confidence dealing with everybody. On top of that, you know the police station and you’ve already built bonds with everybody that works here. It’s definitely a great opportunity.”

For more information on becoming a cadet with the London Police Service, visit

Careers - Cadets