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.

NRPS was established on January 1, 1971 and is the oldest regional police service in Ontario. Its headquarters is located in St. Catharines.

Organization

The NRPS provides all general policing duties in the region, including patrol of municipal/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. The NRPS is, however, mandated to investigate all major crimes in the region, including those that occur on provincial highways or on NPC property.

The Chief of Police is Wendy Southall, who was selected by the Niagara Regional Police Services Board and assumed command in January 2005. She was a thirty year police veteran and served with the Toronto Police Service and the Niagara Regional Police Services Board. Joe Matthews currently serves as Deputy Chief, replacing Gary Beaulieu following his retirement.

The Niagara Regional Police Service is divided into six districts:

• 1 District - 68 Church Street, St. Catharines
• 2 District - 4343 Morrison Street, Niagara Falls
• 3 District - 5 Lincoln Street West, Welland
• 5 District - 1200 Thompson Road, Fort Erie
• 6 District - 501 Fielden Avenue, Port Colborne
• 8 District - 25 Bartlett Avenue, Grimsby

Administrative offices are located at 110 James Street in downtown St. Catharines. Auxiliary and support services are located on Cushman Road in St. Catharines.

Units

Niagara Regional Police is broken down into units of specific responsibility. Some of these units include:

• Arson Unit
• Auxiliary Police
• Canine Unit
• Child Abuse Unit
• Community Services Unit
• Court Services Unit
• Detective Office
• Assisting Senior Citizens
• Emergency Task Unit (ETU)
• Explosives Disposal Unit
• Forensic Services Unit
• "Guns, Gangs and Grows" Unit
• Major Crime Unit
• Marine Unit
• Morality Unit
• Polygraph Unit
• Sexual Assault Unit
• Street Crime Unit
• Traffic Unit
• Underwater Search and Recovery
• Uniform Patrol Officers
• Victim Services / Youth Crime

Fleet

A partial list of the Niagara Regional Police's fleet consists of the following:

In August 2007, thanks to recently-introduced changes to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the Niagara Regional Police began replacing red strobe lights on many vehicles with new blue and red LED lights. Some vehicles with older-style light bars are having reflectors and housing covers replaced to allow for blue lights.

Niagara Regional Police Service Pipes and Drums

The Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band is a grade four pipe band based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

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 Service Male Chorus

The Niagara Regional Police Service Male Chorus was formed in 1996 with the encouragement of the then Chief Grant Waddell to celebrate the force's twenty-fifth anniversary. With the sponsorship of Chief Waddell they were granted the right to perform, with distinctive pride, wearing the uniform of the Niagara Regional Police Service with flashes identifying them as their Male Chorus.

Under the musical direction of Dr Tom Inglis citizen volunteers, recruited from males over eighteen years of age, who like to sing, quickly established a reputation for excellence. In consequence from Police Memorial Services in both Ottawa and Toronto to such well know venues as Roy Thompson Hall, 100 Huntley Street, the People's Church, the World Rowing Championships and the USA/Canada Buffalo/Fort Erie Freedom Festival they have entertained on television.

But more importantly for the past fifteen years they have entertained the citizens of Niagara and southern Ontario, whenever asked to raise funds for charity and in churchs, senior's homes, recreational halls, County Fairs and Festivals to sometimes standing ovation. They have produced five CD's containing show tunes, pop music medleys, gospel music and hymns that enjoy critical acclaim.

Celebrating it's fifteenth year in conjunction with the fortieth year celebrations of the Niagara Regional Police Service the Niagara Regional Police Service Male Chorus continues to seek performance venues and new citizen volunteers to continue their reputation of excellence as they perform for the citizens of Niagara under the musical direction of Barbara Andrus with the full support of the present Chief Wendy Southall.

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 3 other horses retired. Only two of the three horses are owned by the NRP.

As of November 25, 2010 the Niagara Regional Mounted Unit was disbanded. The budget of $30,000.00 will be used elsewhere.

See also

• Integrated Security Unit

External links

• Niagara Regional Police Service