Media Advisory - Governor General to Invest 40 Recipients into the Order of Merit of the Police Forces

OTTAWA, Jan. 28, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, will preside over an Order of Merit of the Police Forces investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at 11 a.m.

During the ceremony, the Governor General, who is chancellor of the Order, will bestow the honour on 4 Officers and 36 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 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 schedule of the ceremony, the list of recipients, and a backgrounder on the Order of Merit of the Police Forces are attached.

Media wishing to cover the event are asked to confirm their attendance with the
Rideau Hall Press Office, and must arrive at the Princess Anne Entrance no later than 10:45 a.m.

Follow GGJuliePayette and RideauHall on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CEREMONY SCHEDULE

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

10:30 a.m.:	Arrival of media at Rideau Hall
11 a.m.:	Ceremony begins
	The Governor General speaks
	The Governor General presents the insignia
	(Officers first, followed by Members)
	The RCMP Commissioner speaks
11:45 p.m.:	Interviews with recipients

RECIPIENTS

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

OFFICERS

Deputy Commissioner Rick Barnum, O.O.M. This is a promotion within the Order.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Deputy Commissioner Brenda Butterworth-Carr, O.O.M. This is a promotion within the Order.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, British Columbia
Chief Constable David Jones, O.O.M. This is a promotion within the Order.	New Westminster Police Department, British Columbia
Deputy Director Yves Morency, O.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal

MEMBERS

Inspector Shawna E. Baher, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, British Columbia
Superintendent Marc Maurice Bedard, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Staff Sergeant Donald Edward Bill, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Chief Brent Ivan Blackmore, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Woodstock, New Brunswick
Superintendent Edward Boettcher, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, British Columbia
Deputy Director Sylvain Caron, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal
Staff Sergeant Diane L. Cockle, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, British Columbia
Staff Sergeant Stephen T. Conohan, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Deputy Chief Paul Cook, M.O.M.	Calgary Police Service, Alberta
Chief Superintendent Roseanne DiMarco, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Chief Superintendent Bernadine Paulette Freill, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, British Columbia
Sergeant Luc Gagnon, M.O.M.	Sûreté du Québec, Montréal
Detective Inspector Shawn W. Glassford, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Superintendent Marty Lang Kearns, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Ms. Ann King, M.O.M.	Peel Regional Police, Brampton, Ontario
Detective John Phillip Langford, M.O.M.	Calgary Police Service, Alberta
Inspector Robyn Dawn MacEachern, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Superintendent Paul Russell Mackey, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Chief David M. MacNeil, M.O.M.	Truro Police Service, Nova Scotia
Constable Tad Kenneth Milmine, M.O.M.	Calgary Police Service, Alberta
Constable Michelle Mosher, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Grande Prairie, Alberta
Inspector Wayne O. A. Nichols, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Staff Sergeant Thomas Edward Norton, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Surrey, British Columbia
Deputy Chief Satpal Singh Parhar, M.O.M.	Calgary Police Service, Alberta
Chief Superintendent Chesley Walter Parsons, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, Ontario
Director Danny W. Paterson, M.O.M.	Saint-Jérôme Police Service, Quebec
Deputy Chief Robert John Gordon Ritchie, M.O.M.	Calgary Police Service, Alberta
Superintendent Manuel Rodrigues, M.O.M.	Peel Regional Police, Brampton, Ontario
Sergeant Nancy Rudback, M.O.M.	Halifax Regional Police, Nova Scotia
Mr. Peter D. Shipley, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Inspector Bruce D. Singer, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Assistant Commissioner Serge J. J. Therriault, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, Ontario
Superintendent Mark VanZant, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia
Chief Superintendent Ross Arthur White, M.O.M.	Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Fredericton, New Brunswick
Superintendent Brenda Young, M.O.M.	Halifax Regional Police, Nova Scotia
Inspector Charles Young, M.O.M.	Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia

ORDER OF MERIT OF THE POLICE FORCES FACT SHEET

The Order of Merit of the Police Forces honours the leadership and exceptional service or distinctive merit displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Police Services, 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/honours or visit the website of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police at www.cacp.ca/order-of-merit.html.

SOURCE Governor General of Canada

For information on the Order and the ceremony: Sara Régnier-McKellar, Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-993-2569, 613-301-2465 (cell), [email protected]; For information on the recipients: Please contact the recipients' respective police forces directly.

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