Excellent work recently recognized at Awards Ceremony

DETECTIVE DEBBIE HARRIS & POLICE CONSTABLE MARK KENNEDY OF 51 DIVISION

In January 2011 a series of arson occurrences occurred.  A designated historic building was intentionally set on fire.  The incident was classified as a six alarm fire and damage was estimated to be in excess of $3,000,000.  The area was cordoned off and secured to facilitate the continuing investigation and to ensure the safety of the community.  The lead police investigator was Detective Debbie Harris.

From January 2011 to July 2012 several other fires occurred.  Constable Mark Kennedy took an interest in arson investigation and assisted Detective Harris.  He identified a viable suspect who was wanted on a warrant for failing to comply with the terms of a Probation Order.  The warrant was executed and the suspect was placed under arrest.  Detective Harris and Constable Kennedy interviewed the accused on video.

Over a period of time Detective Harris established a rapport with the accused. This assisted her in gaining his cooperation and led to the suspect providing information to Detective Harris.  He readily admitted to setting fires in hotels to kill residents who had confronted him regarding his activities.  He clearly indicated that he wanted to hurt the people and that he started fires because he “got a kick” out of it.  He admitted to a lifelong involvement with intentionally setting fires and provided details regarding a number of other arson occurrences for which he was responsible and he also admitted that he was hired to set them.

Following the suspect’s confession, Detective Harris and Constable Kennedy made concerted efforts to verify the details.  In October 2012 the suspect plead guilty to a total of eight criminal charges including arson and attempted murder.

The success of the investigation was in large part made possible by outstanding teamwork and collaboration with Toronto Fire Services and the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall.

IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY SAFETY, DETECTIVE DEBBIE HARRIS AND POLICE CONSTABLE MARK KENNEDY ARE AWARDED WITH COMMENDATION.

DETECTIVE BARRY RADFORD AND POLICE CONSTABLES ELIZABETH HARNETT & IAN SEARLES OF 51 DIVISION

On August 31, 2011 the head of security at a night club called Detective Barry Radford to report that an unknown person was selling fraudulent tickets over the internet for an event they were hosting.  The club initiated a process where customers could purchase tickets over the internet.  The ticket contained a barcode which verified proof of purchase.  To avoid long line-ups, ticket holders were permitted to attend the club prior to the event to obtain a wrist band after their tickets were verified. The fraudulent tickets came to light when early registering patrons presented their tickets and the bar code could not be successfully scanned.  The club staff conducted an investigation confirming discrepancies on numerous tickets.  Several of the tickets had been purchased by a person using fraudulent credit cards.

Detective Radford commenced an immediate investigation.  Constable Ian Searles created an internet account purporting to be interested in purchasing a quantity of tickets.  After several email exchanges the suspect also offered to sell Constable Searles a street drug known as MDMA.  Investigation revealed that the tickets being offered were associated to the sale of tickets purchased using stolen credit cards.  Constable Searles arranged to meet the suspect to purchase the tickets and drugs.  Arrangements were made to have Constable Elizabeth Harnett pose as the purchaser and a back-up team was assembled to conduct observations in the area.

A male matching the description the suspect provided was observed selling tickets to another victim.  After the completion of this transaction, the purchaser was intercepted and interviewed.  The Officers confirmed that the tickets purchased were fraudulent.  A few minutes after the sale the suspect approached Constable Harnett.  During their conversation, he produced the tickets.  Constable Harnett gave the pre-arranged signal to the back-up team and an arrest was made.  A search of the suspect resulted in the seizure of a quantity of MDMA as well as a list containing names and their associated credit card information.  Nine victims were identified.  The suspect was arrested and charged.  He pled guilty to a number of fraud related charges.

IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND COORDINATED TEAM EFFORT, DETECTIVE BARRY RADFORD AND POLICE CONSTABLES IAN SEARLES AND ELIZABETH HARNETT ARE AWARDED WITH A COMMENDATION.

DETECTIVE LESTER ROSETTE; POLICE CONSTABLES TODD ADAMS, MICHAEL CIOFFI, COREY DUNK, CHRISTOPHER DURST, CHRISTOPHER HOELLER, DAVID OH & ALLAN RACETTE OF 51 DIVISION & DETECTIVE ED ADACH OF FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION SERVICES;

On April 3, 2012 police received a call regarding a female victim who was found lying on the ground bleeding and screaming for help.  It was quickly determined that the location where the victim had been found was monitored by Closed Circuit Surveillance equipment.

Toronto Community Housing Security personnel were notified and the video footage was reviewed.  Investigators realized that the victim had been brutally assaulted.  A single male suspect was identified as being responsible for the vicious attack.  At the conclusion of the assault, the suspect left the victim in a semi-conscious state, lying on the concrete in zero degree weather.

Photographs of the scene and evidence were obtained and an operational plan to locate and arrest the suspect was drafted.  Teams were then strategically deployed based on the intelligence gathered.  The suspect was apprehended and taken into custody.  At the time of the arrest, the suspect was wearing clothing similar to what was seen in the surveillance video.  The suspect’s clothing was photographed and seized as evidence.  Items collected from the crime scene were forensically processed. Blood droplets located on the shoe of the suspect and a fingerprint located on a seized plank were analyzed.

The suspect was arrested and charged.  As a result of the evidence presented the suspect was denied bail and is still in custody. As a result of the combined efforts of these officers, a dangerous predator was removed from the community.

IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND EXCELLENT TEAMWORK, DETECTIVES ED ADACH AND LESTER ROSETTE; POLICE CONSTABLES TODD ADAMS, MICHAEL CIOFFI, COREY DUNK, CHRISTOPHER DURST, CHRISTOPHER HOELLER, DAVID OH AND ALLAN RACETTE ARE AWARDED WITH A TEAMWORK COMMENDATION.

The following citation was read aloud at Queen’s Park during the investiture of the Ontario Police Medal of Bravery by His Honour, David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, on Thursday, November 21st.
  
Constable Sheraz Arshad
Toronto Police Service
  
On the afternoon of June 4, 2012, Constable Sheraz Arshad was the first police officer to respond to a hazardous chemical spill in the basement of a home renovation project in downtown Toronto. Five people still inside the home were reported to be having trouble breathing and were experiencing nausea. The fire service had also been called, but an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) supervisor was the only other person on the scene when Constable Arshad had arrived. The EMS supervisor had already made the determination that the chemical hazard was life threatening.

Constable Arshad was trained in the dangers of toxic fumes and understood the personal risk he would be taking by entering the basement without sufficient protective gear. Realizing that fire and additional EMS support were at least five minutes away and that lives were at risk, Constable Arshad entered the toxic basement equipped with just a N20 bio mask. He held his breath and began removing the trapped occupants one by one. One man was unconscious and had to be physically extracted by the police officer. All five victims were rushed to a local hospital, treated and released. Constable Arshad had to be treated at the scene by Paramedics for lethal inhalation after having to exert himself carrying out the unconscious victim. His actions were attributed to saving five lives that day.