Four OPP Officers from Smiths Falls, Grey County, South Bruce County and Middlesex County Win Prestigious Canadian Banks Law Enforcement Award

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug. 26, 2014) - Brilliant use of cutting edge technology combined with multi-jurisdictional coordination resulted in four police officers being awarded the prestigious Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Award (CBLEA) for two separate investigations. One for investigative skill in identifying and arresting suspects of a violent gang accused of robbing a number of banks across Ontario and Quebec, and the second for an investigation into a sophisticated fraud ring operating across southwestern Ontario.

Detective Constable Steve Paddon, Detective Constable Max Gomez and Detective Constable Dennis Thompson of the West Region Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Detective Constable Jay Brodie of the East Region OPP will each be presented with the award in a gala ceremony this evening at the 109^th annual Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Victoria B.C.

"Canadians trust their banks and consistently rate them highly. Upholding that trust means we depend on the close working relationships between banks and law enforcement agencies across Canada," said Nathalie Clark, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for the Canadian Bankers Association. "Banks in Canada, their customers and their employees are proud to celebrate the achievements of the four recipients of this prestigious award."

Detective Constable Steve Paddon, Detective Constable Max Gomez and Detective Constable Dennis Thompson - West Region OPP

Detective Constable Steve Paddon, Detective Constable Max Gomez and Detective Constable Dennis Thompson collaborated from three different jurisdictions as members of an OPP West Region team to pursue criminals involved in a number of similar fraud incidents. In each crime, the suspects would use forged identification and business information to attempt to open commercial accounts with local banks. Later the suspects would return to deposit fraudulent cheques and begin to withdraw funds. The investigation resulted in the arrest of a number of suspects involved in crimes that targeted different Ontario communities.

Fraud is a crime where the victims are often faceless and nameless, but it is no less harmful. Each of these police officers demonstrated superior investigative abilities that through effective collaboration with other police agencies and the banks involved led to the arrest of the suspects in this organized and complex multi-jurisdictional investigation.

Detective Constable Jay Brodie - East Region OPP

In less than six months, four Ontario banks in Sault Ste. Marie, Cambridge, Sudbury and Stittsville were targeted by a gang of armed robbers. At each incident the criminals would smash their way through the front entrance of the bank. Then, after demanding cash from the bank employees, the masked bandits would flee the scene. One of the crucial developments in solving these crimes was identifying the pattern among the four Ontario robberies and matching them to a series of similar violent robberies in Quebec.

Detective Constable Jay Brodie devoted extraordinary hours coordinating, compiling and comparing evidence from all the robberies collected by seven different police departments in Quebec and Ontario. The arrest of the robbery gang was executed quickly, safely and successfully due to Detective Constable Brodie's unwavering dedication and painstaking research.

About the Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Award

Since its creation in 1972, 230 officers from across Canada have been honoured with the Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Award for their outstanding bravery, dedication and other noteworthy achievements in combating crimes against Canada's banks. For additional information about the CBLEA, please visit www.cba.ca/award.

About the Canadian Bankers Association

The Canadian Bankers Association works on behalf of 60 domestic banks, foreign bank subsidiaries and foreign bank branches operating in Canada and their 280,000 employees. The CBA advocates for effective public policies that contribute to a sound, successful banking system that benefits Canadians and Canada's economy. The Association also promotes financial literacy to help Canadians make informed financial decisions and works with banks and law enforcement to help protect customers against financial crime and promote fraud awareness. www.cba.ca

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