Rainy River District West OPP Detachment Board

About the Board

The Rainy River District West OPP Detachment Board was officially established on April 1, 2024, under Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019. This new governance model replaced the former Fort Frances Police Services Board and brought together the municipalities of Alberton, Chapple, Dawson, Emo, Fort Frances, La Vallee, Lake of the Woods, Morley, and Rainy River into a unified civilian oversight body.

The shift followed provincial direction to streamline police governance by aligning one board per OPP detachment. Local discussions began as early as 2021, led by Fort Frances and the OPP, culminating in provincial approval in 2023. The Board now ensures balanced representation across both urban and rural communities in the western Rainy River District.

This Board supports and advises the local OPP detachment commander on policing priorities, with membership including elected officials, community representatives, and a provincial appointee. It oversees an expansive and diverse geographic area, including international border crossings, major highways, and remote communities. 

 

Annual Reports

 

Meetings of the Rainy River District West OPP Detachment Board

Minutes and agendas can be found here: https://fortfrances.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Id=2215

 

Rainy River District West OPP Detachment Board Members

Name Position Communit(y/ies)
John McTaggart Chair/Elected Official Fort Frances
Gary Rogozinski Vice-Chair/Provincial Appointee Province of Ontario
Andrew Hallikas Elected Official Fort Frances
Lewis Kempf Elected Official Chapple, Dawson, Lake of the Woods, Morley, Rainy River
Sylvia Smeeth Appointed Citizen Fort Frances
Shawn Spence Elected Official Alberton, Emo, La Vallee
Pending Appointee: Travis McCormick Appointed Citizen Alberton, Chapple, Dawson, Emo, La Vallee, Lake of the Woods, Morley, Rainy River

 

Board Policies

Number Division Department
ADM 001 Administration Abuse, Violence, and Harassment Policy

 

Contacts

Ally Lewis, Board Administrator
Rainy River District West OPP Detachment Board
​clerks@fortfrances.ca
(807) 274-5323