Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers from across the province are converging on the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst for the force’s annual marine training exercise.
Sgt. Dave Moffatt, Provincial Marine and ATV Coordinator, says the training will be happening all May. The month will be split into two-week courses for the 48 officers chosen to take part. “We’re here to train the detachment members to become marine officers and learn how to safely patrol and work on their lakes in their detachments,” explains Moffatt.
This is the second year of a five-year partnership between the OPP), the Town of Gravenhurst, and The Residence Inn by Marriott. The officers are staying at the hotel for the month.
Moffatt says the partnership with the town allows them to continue a nearly four-decade tradition of training on Lake Muskoka. Previously, the training was done out of the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst but the provincial police were forced to change plans when it was decommissioned in Jan. 2021.
“We understand that sometimes it’s a hassle that we’re on the lake but everyone has to understand how important it is that we’re on the lake doing this training,” says Moffatt. He adds police are aware others will likely be on the lake and will do their best to be cooperative and conscious of others.
Moffatt says Lake Muskoka is the best place to do the training because it offers a multitude of navigational challenges. He explains the challenges are similar to what the officers will likely deal with when they return to their detachments. He points out that other places, like Lake Simcoe, don’t provide the same challenges and could be affected by inclement weather. With the course timeline being so tight, Moffatt says they don’t have room to cancel a day, or even half a day, of training. “It really is mandatory training,” he says.
Moffatt says Transport Canada has given the thumbs up to the OPP to be a course provider, which allows them to train officers and grant them the proper licenses needed. He explains by the end of the month the 48 officers will have two licenses: small vessel operator proficiency and small domestic vessel basic safety. The pair of licenses will allow them to operate and be a crew member.
The boats used for training are vessels that are too old to be used actively by police. Moffatt says the force’s mechanics keep them in good enough shape that they can still be used for training exercises.
