OPP officer commits suicide at detachment

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OPP officer commits suicide at detachment

Postby Thomas » Sun Sep 16, 2012 1:58 am

Mysterious incident closes OPP detachment

MIDLAND – Police are not talking about an incident Tuesday that prompted the temporary closure of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP detachment on Highway 12.
All detachment and administrative functions have been transferred to the Penetanguishene community policing office.
Sgt. Peter Leon would not comment on the reason for the closure, but said it had nothing to do with contamination or any kind of structural problem.
He indicated he expects the detachment will be open for business again by the end of the week. The public will be advised at that time.
Anyone who needs to deal with the OPP is asked to go to the community policing office, which is located at 12 Robert St. W., until further notice.
Any inquiries during business hours can be made by calling

http://www.simcoe.com/article/1334201-- ... detachment
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Re: OPP officer commits suicide at detachment

Postby Thomas » Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:09 am

Officer dies at OPP detachment

Flags lowered as police mourn colleague who took own life


MIDLAND – Police are used to investigating tragic events, but tragedy hit close to home last week for Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers.
Sgt. Douglas Marshall died at the Highway 12 detachment on April 10. Several sources told The Mirror that Marshall shot himself, although police, sticking to their policy in such cases, would not reveal any of the circumstances surrounding the death.

Marshall, 45, is survived by his wife and two teenaged children.

A funeral took place Saturday in Orillia, where Marshall’s parents reside and where the well-respected police officer worked before transferring to the Midland detachment.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to the Canadian Mental Health Association or the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Program.

Flags were lowered at both the detachment office and the Midland Police Service office in honour of the late officer, who also previously worked in Moosonee, where he helped launch a youth soccer program in 2002.

In addition to being a police officer, Marshall was an avid runner who competed in duathlon, triathlon and marathon competitions. The OPP bestowed a major award for physical fitness on Marshall, who once ran the Boston Marathon.

The Mirror profiled him in 2009 after he and his son captured gold in a gruelling multi-sport adventure race in Haliburton.

Marshall also lent assistance to the Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services, a non-profit organization that trains volunteers to provide immediate aid in an emergency to victims of crime or tragic circumstances.

Midland police were called to investigate last week’s fatality, which resulted in the immediate closure of the building to the public. All detachment and administrative functions were temporarily transferred to the OPP’s Penetanguishene community policing office. The detachment reopened at 10 a.m. Monday.

“The OPP would like to acknowledge the co-operation and support of the public during the temporary closure of this facility,” Sgt. Peter Leon stated in a press release.

http://www.simcoe.com/community/midland/article/1336889
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Re: OPP officer commits suicide at detachment

Postby Thomas » Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:11 am

Media reluctant to use ‘S’ word

Suicide a taboo subject for many journalists


MIDLAND – The word “suicide” has long been the steel trap of the newspaper business, clamping down on discussion and cutting off all possibility of legitimate coverage.
Early in my career as a reporter in Orangeville, I attended what appeared to be a crime scene: emergency personnel everywhere, police tape around the home, neighbours milling about, a woman sobbing in the driveway.

Police tried to chase me away, but I stuck around for what appeared to be a big news story. Only when I was quietly and unofficially informed that a suicide had taken place did I back off.
Every reporter has a similar story with a similar ending.

Almost without exception, the media does not report on suicides. The usual explanation is that we don’t want to encourage desperate copycats looking for a way to gain the attention in death that they failed to attract in life. The feelings of friends and loved ones can also weigh against publication of the real cause of death.

That being said, journalism’s first duty is to the truth, so it is strange how the sad truth that some people take their own lives is seen as off-limits to journalists.
Could the real reason be the stigma that is still attached to mental illness in general, and suicide in particular?

Talking about such issues, however, can be helpful. It can encourage public discussion about depression and the serious mental-health issues that affect up to 20 per cent of Canadians.
Suicide is 10th on the list of causes of death in Canada. It is second for those between the ages of 15 and 24. Perhaps it’s time the media stopped being afraid of telling such an enormously important and far-reaching story.

All of this background informed The Mirror’s decision this week to report as fully as possible on the death of Southern Georgian Bay OPP Sgt. Douglas Marshall.

Despite the rumours racing around the community, police would not name the officer who died, or even confirm that a death had taken place.

However, there are times when a suicide becomes a legitimate matter of public interest. Any time a police officer uses his or her weapon in an unauthorized way, it raises questions about what could have been done to prevent it.

There’s also the unsettling possibility of a depressed individual with a weapon lashing out at those around him. I’m thankful that wasn’t the case here, but this newspaper must ask whether there was a risk to the public or other officers, and whether the OPP has adequate mental-health safeguards in place.

As well, the fact that Marshall, a public official, chose to end his life in a public building suggests privacy was not his top consideration. The closure of the Highway 12 detachment for almost a week is another argument in favour of full reporting.

I join Marshall’s friends, colleagues and family members in mourning his death, and I regret if anyone feels The Mirror is besmirching his memory by reporting factually on this case. That was not the intention.

If we are to erase the shame of mental illness, talking about it is the first step. The media can and should play a leading role.

http://www.simcoe.com/article/1336874-- ... use-s-word
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Re: OPP officer commits suicide at detachment

Postby Thomas » Mon Oct 22, 2012 4:57 am

Four OPP officers have committed suicide in the past two years, more than have died in active duty. At least one was known to suffer from PTSD.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/crime/a ... icers-ptsd
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