Niagara Regional Police Service

The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) provides policing services for the Regional Municipality of Niagara in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Niagara Regional Police Service
MottoUnity, Loyalty, Responsibility
Agency overview
FormedJanuary 1, 1971
Operational structure
HeadquartersNiagara Falls, Ontario
Sworn members650
Unsworn members350
Elected officer responsible
  • The Honourable Sylvia Jones, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Agency executive
  • Bryan MacCulloch
Facilities
Divisions6
Website
Official website

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)
Insignia

(Shoulder board)
Shoulder boards not used for these ranks

Districts

The Niagara Regional Police Service is divided into six districts:

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

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.

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
  1. "Penetangore Pipers claim top prizes at Scottish Festival". Kincardine News, ROB LIDDLE, SPECIAL TO THE NEWS July 9, 2008
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