CATAP Ontario Regional Event: 1-Day Threat Assessment Symposium

Dave O'Leary has been a member of the Ontario Provincial Police since 2003 and has worked in a variety of roles, including uniform patrol, close protection operations, threat investigations, and intelligence.  Dave joined the OPP’s Behavioural Science & Analysis Section, Threat Assessment Unit in 2017 and completed the threat assessor understudy program in 2019.  Since then, he has led the OPP’s Protective Intelligence Unit working to identify, assess and manage threats against provincial government officials.  Dave holds a Master’s degree is Terrorism, Risk & Security Studies from Simon Fraser University and has been a member of CATAP since 2016.

Sgt. Letourneau joined the RCMP in 2009 and was posted to the East Prince detachment, Prince Edward Island. Sgt. Letourneau served in general duty policing with involvement with the Emergency Medical Response Team (EMRT), supporting various critical incidents and tactical operations in the Maritimes. Sgt. Letourneau was transferred in 2015 to the Parliamentary Protective Services (PPS) where he assisted in the implementation of the new security service and withdrawal of the RCMP on Parliament Hill. Sgt. Letourneau then transferred to the Protective Intelligence Unit where he served as the lead intelligence officer in liaison with the Prime Minister Protective Detail, which involved the review of all intelligence related to the safety and security of the Prime Minister and his family, while also assisting in investigating the numerous threats reported to the RCMP. In 2020, Sgt. Letourneau was recruited to update a program that is now the Protective Behavioural Analysis Unit, completing the RCMP’s threat specialist understudy program.

Detective McPherson joined the Peel Regional Police in 1997 and has spent the majority of his career in investigative services.  Detective McPherson has conducted Child Abuse and Sexual Assault investigations as a member of the Special Victims Unit, and major fraud investigations with the Financial Crimes Unit.  In 2018 Detective McPherson completed the Polygraph Examiner’s course at the Canadian Police College and worked as a polygraph examiner, conducting interviews for major investigations both for the Peel Regional Police and other police services.  Detective McPherson joined the Threat Assessment Unit in May 2023 and is currently completing the Ontario Provincial Police Threat Assessment Understudy Program.

Detective Robinson has been a certified Behavioural Threat Assessment Specialist since 2015.  As a 30 year-veteran of the Peel Regional Police, Christine has extensive experience in the investigation and management of violent crime. She has worked closely with school boards, higher education institutions, criminal justice, community wellness and social service partners, and public entities in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks to public safety. Christine provides opinion of risk and case management strategies in cases involving workplace and school violence, targeted violence, threatening communications, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and more. She has been deemed an expert witness in both criminal and civil
court and serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. Christine recently founded ThreatShield, a boutique threat assessment consultancy aiming to serve clients within the public and private sectors.

Andrea Ringrose, MA is Senior Director of Campus Public Safety, Safety & Risk Services at Simon Fraser University, and Vice President of the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. Over a 20-year career working across the nexus of behavioural and health sciences and protective intelligence, Andrea has been privileged to be a member of renowned clinical research teams within the University of British Columbia’s Department of Psychiatry and greater Vancouver health authorities, and has led private and public sector teams tasked with community safety and security risk management, crisis intervention, violence prevention, security intelligence, emergency management, and strategic safety and security operations. Passionate about person-centred approaches and transitional support models within public safety and security programmes, Andrea has built a reputation as a trusted partner and advisor in the identification, assessment and management of complex risk, and is a nationally regarded mental health literacy advocate and educator. Andrea holds a Master of Arts in International Studies, Complex Emergencies, Human-Caused Crises from SFU and has been a proud CATAP member since 2013.

Calvin Millar, CHPA, is the Director of Public Safety and Parking Services at William Osler Health System and a Professor with Seneca Polytechnic for the Police Foundations program. He is currently serving as the Chair for the Ontario Chapter of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) and assisted as a subject matter expert for the development of the IAHSS Threat Assessment and Management in Healthcare Interactive Program. He received his Master of Art in Disaster and Emergency Management from Royal Roads University, a certificate in Mental Health Nursing for the RPN from St. Lawrence College, and a Practical Nursing Certificate from Sheridan College. Calvin is a proud member of the ASIS CSO Centre, the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, and the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals.