The Ontario Medal For Police Bravery - Backgrounder

The Ontario Medal for Police Bravery was created in 1975 and is awarded annually.

Ontario Medal for Police Bravery Recipients:

Constable Lance Barenz
Thunder Bay Police Service

Late in the evening of July 9, 2008, Constable Lance Barenz was on routine patrol with his partner when he heard a radio transmission regarding a young man threatening a woman with a knife. Constable Barenz arrived minutes later and saw several other officers standing around the armed suspect, kneeling behind his victim. The suspect was very agitated and yelling both at his victim and the officers around him. Constable Barenz moved slowly behind the suspect and seized an opportunity to wrestle him away from his victim. With the help of other officers, he managed to disarm the suspect and arrest him without injury. Constable Barenz's quick thinking, along with his calculated and decisive action, averted a potential tragedy.

Constables Sean Boyes, Sean Doran, Gilbert Garquhar,
Wade McGhee, Gregory Douglas Whyte and James Ward
York Regional Police, Newmarket

On Halloween night, 2008, six York Regional Police Constables, Gilbert Farquhar, Sean Boyes, Sean Doran, Wade McGhee, Gregory Whyte and James Ward were on duty in Richmond Hill. Traditionally this shift's mandate is to keep kids who are trick-or-treating safe and to watch for vandals, however, no one could have predicted what was in store that night. At approximately 10:30 p.m., Constable Farquhar heard the unmistakable crash of a car accident. He responded immediately and came upon a horrible scene of a two-car collision with one car bursting into flames and three people trapped inside. Constables Doran, Boyes and Ward arrived seconds later, followed by Constables Whyte and McGhee. The officers reacted immediately to try and save the trapped occupants using fire extinguishers but they were not making much headway as the fire was becoming more intense and dangerous with every moment. Constables Farquhar and Boyes reached through the flames for the driver. Although the heat was intense and the officers had trouble breathing, they were able to free her and drag her to safety. She survived but sustained serious injuries. On the other side of the car, Constable Ward was having similar difficulty reaching one of the passengers. With his bare hands he tore the shattered window from its twisted frame and entered the car up to his waist. Constables Whyte and Doran used their fire extinguishers to try protecting Constable Ward from the flames. Constable Ward, with his colleagues help, was able to free the passenger but sadly she succumbed to her injuries at the scene. The third occupant died in the vehicle despite all their valiant efforts. All the officers were transferred to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. In addition Constable Ward was treated for first and second degree burns to his hands and arms. These officers did not consider the risk to their own safety during their attempts to save the lives of others. Without their selfless actions no one in the car would have survived.

Constables Dave Edgar and Clayton Spears
Barrie Police Service

Constable Clayton Speers was on routine patrol on Bayfield Street in Barrie, on a busy, sunny and warm summer Sunday morning, July 5, 2009, when he noticed an individual who appeared to be in some kind of distress. After asking police dispatchers for assistance, Constable Speers was quickly joined by Constable Dave Edgar. They both approached the individual to offer help but they quickly determined that he appeared to need some care from a mental health professional. When they tried to take him along in the police cruiser, the individual pulled out a knife and stabbed Constable Speers to the neck, causing him to bleed profusely. He then turned toward Constable Edgar and stabbed him across the neck too. It happened so fast; neither constable had even realized the suspect was armed. Both injured officers then drew their firearms and ordered the individual to drop his knife. When he failed to comply, they discharged their firearms striking him several times. Despite his injuries, the individual was now fleeing the scene. After repeated warnings, Constable Dave Edgar, fearing for the safety of a group of pedestrians nearby, had no other choice than to discharge his firearm again, fatally wounding him. Both officers were transported to hospital after suffering near fatal injuries.

Constable Joseph Andrew Guerreiro
Toronto Police Service

On Saturday, January 24, 2009, an armed robbery was reported at the Brewers Retail Store on Symington Avenue in Toronto. A suspect wearing a bandana over his face pointed his loaded sawed-off shotgun at the customers inside the store and told them to get down on the ground. The individual immediately rushed behind the counter but he was unable to open the cash register. He then went on looking for the safe at the rear of the store but it was locked. The suspect left the store empty-handed and quickly got into a get-away car driven by his accomplice. Frustrated with their failed robbery, the suspects drove on to a variety store on Wallace Avenue. Alerted by radio transmission, Constables Joseph Guerreiro and Troy Lorimer saw one of the suspects nearby. Both officers ordered him to stop but the suspect pulled his sawed-off shotgun and fired one shot at their cruiser, narrowly missing them. Both constables exited their car and continued their chase on foot. The suspect ran around a corner where he waited for the officers coming behind. As they turned the corner, he fired a second shot at them and went on running toward Wallace Avenue where he fired a third shot. By then, more officers had joined the chase. The suspect was arrested moments later hiding between two houses. The accomplice who was driving the car was apprehended later in the evening. Constables Guerreiro and Lorimer acted in a heroic manner by repeatedly placing themselves in the line of fire knowing each time the suspect they were pursuing was willing to shoot at police officers.

Constable Tom Nappo
Brockville Police Service

It was late afternoon on June 1, 2009, when the Brockville Police Service received a 911 call from a distraught driver who had just been cut off by a silver car that went on through three red traffic lights before ending up into the St. Lawrence River at the end of Home Street. There was smoke and flames coming from inside the car. Constable Tom Nappo was among several officers dispatched to the scene. Constable Nappo was informed that two civilians had attempted to enter the water to assist the driver. However, both drew back because of the frigid temperature of the water and fear that the car may explode. Without regard for his own safety, he quickly removed his duty belt and entered the cold water to try and assist the female driver who had now managed to slide out of the car through the partly open driver's window. Constable Nappo was able to reach the woman who was struggling to stay afloat and pulled her back to the nearest dock. Sadly, the victim passed away at the hospital.