Death of on-duty OPP officer highlights mental toll on first responders
The death of an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer Monday morning adds to a growing list of Ontario police officers who have died while on-duty in the past few months.
The officer has been identified as 35-year-old Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Det. Const. Steven Tourangeau, who was killed in a collision between his unmarked police cruiser and a school bus.
A row of nine police officers could be seen standing in the middle of the road near the Oxford County crash site, saluting Tourangeau, who died in the double fatal crash earlier that day.
His death comes less than three weeks after OPP officer Sgt. Eric Mueller was killed in eastern Ontario.
For some, these deaths bring to the forefront the toll tragedies like this have on the mental health of officers.
“A death of one of their own is like a death in the family,” said psychotherapist Michelle Farrow.
Farrow is a registered psychotherapist who works with first responders, and she says when one of their own dies it brings on grief for anyone left behind.
“So that may include feelings of sadness, anger, disbelief, fear, along with the reality of the inherent risks of their job,” Farrow said.
In the face of these risks, Farrow says we're seeing increased reports of occupational stress, depression and anxiety for first responders.
She added that it seems more resources are becoming available.
“I'm finding that a lot of services have an in-house wellness program, as well as peer support programs, there's employee assistance programs that have mental health supports,” Farrow said.
Following Tourangeau’s death, police and first responders around the country shared their condolences online.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of OPP Detective Constable Steven Tourangeau of the Perth County OPP Detachment and the civilian who passed away following a tragic collision earlier today,” Waterloo Regional Police Service said in a tweet.
Tourangeau was with the Perth County OPP detachment and assigned to the Huron-Perth community street crime unit.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.