2022 TACTICAL DEBRIEFS

Sylvain Routhier was a remarkably successful police sergeant with a struggle that would up-root everything.  He was dedicated to his career with the Ontario Provincial Police, and active in his community. Affectionately known as “Roots”, he was adored by friends and family, yet no one knew the weight he silently began to carry: PTSD and a mental illness were gripping his thoughts and overtaking his life, which ended sadly, in the summer of 2018.   

This is Sylvain’s story, told by his wife Sarah. It’s an honest and raw account of their love, their struggle, and the tragedy their family lived through.  Discover the warning signs Sarah wishes she would have known as a police wife, how she has overcome adversity, and how Sylvain’s death has become a catalyst for change for first responders and their organizations. 

This debrief will cover a police shooting that occurred on March 2016 in the City of Toronto.  The Emergency Task Force (ETF) responded to the report of a person armed with a gun.  The male armed with a handgun was located pacing back and forth on a bridge.  Officers attempted to negotiate with the person in crisis.  Three Tactical Operators discharged their weapons when confronted with imminent bodily harm or death, and neutralized the threat.  Many lessons were learned stemming from this incident, including the SIU investigation, and through deficiencies found during post shooting treatment at the hospital.  This shooting was the catalyst to develop a partnership with North York General Hospital and the ETF, which created the Police And The Community Hospital (P.A.T.C.H.) protocol.  The PATCH protocol will be discussed and explained by one of the creators of this valuable relationship, and how to set up a PATCH protocol in your locality.   

Police Constable Davis Jackson - One of the shooters on SWT6 at this call.  Davis is a 24 year veteran of the Toronto Police Service with 11 yrs at the ETF.  Davis was a Team Leader, is currently a Tactical Rope Access Instructor, Crisis Negotiator, breacher, and is currently an operator on Special Weapons Team 5.

Sgt. Eric Reimer - One of the shooters on SWT6 at this call.  Eric is a 27 year veteran of the Toronto Police Service with 17 yrs at the ETF.  He was a Team Leader, is a trained sniper/observer, Crisis Negotiator, breacher, and a Tactical Rope Access Instructor.  Eric now leads Special Weapons Team 4 as a Sergeant.     

Andrea Ennis has spent the past 22 years working in the Emergency Department where she has held a variety of different positions; Nurse, Educator and her current role as the Clinical Team Manager at North York General Emergency Department.  In her spare time Andrea is also part of of the Toronto Maple Leaf’s Sports Medical Team.  She has a Bachelor in Science and a Masters in Nursing.  Andrea co lead the development and implementation of the PATCH protocol and is honoured to be part of this years OTAB conference

The International Performance Resilience and Efficiency Program (“iPREP”) trains Use-of-Force trainers and first responders on methods that improve mental preparedness and physical readiness in high-stress situations. It is an evidence-based training program that enhances use-of-force decision-making and resilient responses to stress, through psychological and physiological control techniques utilized before, during, and after (in recovery) critical incidents.

The program is designed for police, military, and can be adapted for any other first response team that provides safety and security.

Empirical research studies conducted on this training program demonstrate that iPREP improves use-of-force decisions and resilient responses to stressful critical incidents. Resilient responses include improved emotional and physical control as demonstrated by less negative emotion, and more adaptive heart rate reactivity and stress hormone profiles.

Improved mental and physical control during stress has direct implications for enhanced safety for officers and the communities they serve.

Judith P. Andersen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
Affiliated Faculty of Medicine | University of Toronto

Professor Andersen is a health psychologist who specializes in the psychophysiology of stress and stress-related mental and physical health issues. She has more than a decade of experience working with populations exposed to severe and chronic stress, including combat soldiers and police.

Her ongoing research projects include the development of evidence-based, use of force training programs among police and special forces teams in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Further, she is working to customize evidence-based resilience programs for different sectors of first responders who are exposed to trauma.

Professor Andersen has been working in the area of health disparities research for a number of years. In this line of work, she and her team are investigating the health risk and resilience factors among LGBTQ individuals exposed to discrimination and trauma.