OPP Communications Operator Christian Paquette has received the 2014 Public Safety Answering Points Telecommunicator of the Year Award. The presentation happened at the 80th Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana earlier this month. The award recognizes individuals for their exceptional performance and outstanding contributions in the field of public safety including their years of service, exemplary contributions and dedication to their organization, innovative thinking and execution of duties. Paquette has been a member of the OPP Provincial Communications Centre in Smiths Falls since 2001. He is an integral part of the OPP team, answering calls for service from the public, and dispatching officers to those calls. He has been involved in coaching 24 communicators, and has received more than 100 letters of recognition for his professionalism and dedication from officers, peers, supervisors and members of the public who have been impacted by his exceptional performance.
This is the most recent in a string of awards for the dedicated safety communications professional. In 2012 Paquette was nominated for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his continuous contributions to police service excellence.
He was also nominated for a life-saving award in 2013 after receiving a call in which a seriously injured caller could not provide his location. His dedication and resourcefulness resulted in his tracking the victim’s cell phone location so that he could direct officers to the individual without delay. According to paramedic reports, his quick thinking resulted in this victim’s life being saved. Christian is the first Canadian to be granted this award. Pictured with Paquette: Sgt. Carlo Maragno and Richard Mears, Regional Vice President of NICE.