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Woman charged after attempting to avoid RIDE check in Dryden

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A woman is facing charges of credit card fraud and possession of property obtained by crime.

The charges arose after a vehicle attempted to avoid a RIDE check in Dryden.

When the vehicle was stopped, Provincial Police found a number of items inside.

The woman was taken into custody on three counts of possessing property obtained by crime, four counts of credit card fraud and multiple Highway Traffic Act offences.

OPP are asking residents who live on Duke Street and Casimir Avenue in Dryden to check their vehicles and outbuildings to see if anything was taken.

Residents who notice anything missing or have related information are asked to contact police.

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Ten dead in mass shooting at northern B.C. school

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Ten people are dead following a mass shooting in the small northern British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge, an incident that has shocked residents and drawn national attention.

RCMP say officers responded to reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shortly after 1:20 p.m. local time Tuesday.

During a search of the building, police located multiple victims as well as a person believed to be responsible, who was found dead from what investigators describe as a self-inflicted injury.

Most of the victims were discovered inside the school. One person later died while being transported to hospital, and two others were airlifted with serious injuries. Police say roughly two dozen additional people were treated at a local clinic for injuries considered non-life-threatening.

Investigators later found two more deceased individuals at a nearby home believed to be connected to the incident. Searches of surrounding properties are continuing as officers work to determine whether anyone else was harmed.

An emergency alert urging residents to shelter in place was lifted Tuesday evening, and RCMP say there is no indication of additional suspects or an ongoing threat to the public.

Tumbler Ridge, located in northeastern B.C.’s Peace River region, has a population of about 2,400 people, and the local secondary school serves roughly 160 students.

Schools in the community are expected to remain closed for the rest of the week while supports are put in place.

Police say a motive has not been determined, and investigators have not released the identity of the suspected shooter or details about the weapon involved.

Carney reacts

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is devastated by the deadly shooting in Tumbler Ridge, offering condolences to the families and friends of those killed and thanking first responders for their courage.

In a statement, Carney said Canadians are grieving alongside the community and emphasized the country’s empathy and unity in times of crisis.

Carney also confirmed he has spoken with B.C. Premier David Eby and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree as federal and provincial officials coordinate support for the community. A planned visit to Halifax and an upcoming trade mission to Europe have been cancelled in light of the tragedy.

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False name/stolen credit cards land Manitoba man in Kenora jail

A traffic stop near Kenora resulted in the arrest of a man wanted by authorities elsewhere in Canada.

Provincial Police say they pulled over a vehicle after officers observed a traffic infraction.

When officers spoke with the driver, he was unable to provide a driver’s license and then gave a false name and date of birth.

He was arrested on a charge of obstruction.

A subsequent search turned up several credit cards that had been reported lost or stolen.

Two different driver’s licenses with the driver’s photo and different names were also discovered.

A further investigation revealed the 19-year-old man from Manitoba had outstanding warrants for property crimes in Barrie and Alberta, and an immigration warrant by Canada Border Services.

He was being held in custody pending a court appearance.

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Police integrity under review in Ontario

A review is underway that looks at the integrity of Ontario’s police services.

The move by the province’s Inspector General of Police comes after the arrest of 9 Toronto police officers caught up in an organized crime investigation.

Recruitment, supervision, access to police databases and evidence management practices will be subject to the review.

“Effective policing depends on public confidence,” states Inspector General Ryan Teschner in a release.

“Ontarians must have assurance that our policing system is able to maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.”

Teschner says it is essential that there be strong systems of vetting, oversight, accountability and standards for police officers to earn and preserve public trust.

“Protecting the public is at the core of policing. The results of this inspection will help the sector deliver safe, effective and trustworthy policing for the people of Ontario.”

Police services boards and the Ontario Provincial Police will also be subject to the review.

The initial request came from the Toronto Police Service and the Toronto Police Service Board, with Teschner opting for a sector-wide inspection.

It will focus on five key areas;

  • Supervision and span of control, including how officers are supervised and how effective that supervision is;
  • Screening and vetting of police officers, both at recruitment and on an ongoing basis;
  • Access to police databases and information systems, including permissions, controls and clearances;
  • Evidence and property management practices; and
  • Substance abuse and fitness for duty.
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Wabigoon man charged with impaired driving for second time in a month

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An incident at the Laura Howe Marsh in Dryden has led to impaired driving charges against a man from Wabigoon Lake First Nation.

Provincial Police say a vehicle rapidly accelerated in the parking lot, causing it to launch over a snowbank into a ditch.

The 33-year-old driver later fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later.

He has been charged with dangerous driving and impaired driving.

Police say the same person was charged earlier last month after live-streaming while consuming illicit substances and operating a motor vehicle.

He is to appear in court at a future date.

K9 Unit Police Service Dog Becks at the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service Headquarters in Thunder Bay (Sam Goldstein/January 9, 2026)

NAPS reintroduces K9 unit after nearly a decade

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For the first time in almost 10 years, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) has welcomed a new K9 team to its ranks.

Constable Daniel Birch and his nearly-three-year-old Police Service Dog (PSD) partner, Becks, were officially introduced during a news conference at NAPS headquarters in Thunder Bay on Thursday, January 8.

Birch earned the position through an internal competition in 2025 and completed a 21-week training program before being paired with Becks.

The duo graduated from the OPP-led General Service Dog course on December 5 and were deployed the following day.

Since then, Birch says the pair have “created quite a special bond.”

Constable Daniel Birch and PSD partner Becks at the NAPS headquarters in Thunder Bay. (Sam Goldstein/January 8, 2026)

Becks is trained in a wide range of specialized tasks, including:

  • Tracking missing persons
  • Detecting drugs and firearms
  • Locating evidence
  • Criminal apprehension
  • Conducting building searches

Birch says that having a service dog “brings a whole different element to the work we do.”

As a Belgian Malamois, Becks has a nose that simply outclasses anything a human can smell, which “allows him to locate people a lot faster than just humans,” the constable explains.

Birch greatly respects his canine companion: “I’ve always had a passion for dogs, and always admired their abilities,” he says.

Constable Birch plays fetch with PSD Becks. (Sam Goldstein/January 8, 2026)

NAPS first launched a K9 Unit in 2009, but its previous canine member, Pax, retired in 2016.

Terry Armstrong, NAPS Chief of Police, says that the service had to go without a K9 replacement for many years because “as the world knows, we were drastically underfunded at the time.”

He feels that the service would have found a replacement earlier had they been able.

“The chiefs have been asking for years about reinstituting the K9. It was always something we’d hoped to do after the retirement of Pax,” he adds.

NAPS plans to recruit another two canines to their new K9 unit, so that one can be assigned to each of the three regions NAPS polices.

The reintroduction of the unit is expected to strengthen policing services across the 34 Northern communities NAPS serves.

But Armstrong stresses that the K9 unit is not only for NAPS.

“There really aren’t boundaries when it comes to helping people and public safety,” says the police chief. “When other agencies need our help, just as when we lean on them, it’s great to be able to cross-pollinate to help out with those things.”

Birch and Becks have already responded to about 15 service calls, with both NAPS and other police services in the area.

OPP Detachment construction June 2020 (4)

Province identifies firms eligible for new OPP detachment construction

Infrastructure Ontario has narrowed the list of companies eligible to bid on the construction of new Ontario Provincial Police detachments in northwestern Ontario and a regional headquarters in Thunder Bay.

Amico Secure Ontario, Bird Capital Limited Partnership and Ledcor OPP will have the opportunity to submit bids on the projects later this year.

A contract is to be awarded before the end of the year.

Twelve new detachments have been identified in the latest phase of improvements to OPP facilities.

Ignace, Kenora, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake are among those on the list.

Infrastructure Ontario notes that the buildings to be replaced are between 40 and 60 years old.

The last phase of improvements was completed in 2023 and saw 10 new detachments, including new ones in Fort Frances and Marathon.

Bird Construction was awarded the contract for those facilities that provide police with modern infrastructure, such as CCTV, holding cells, evidence vaults and improved accessibility.

The first phase of the OPP modernization plan was completed in 2012, with 18 new detachments opening.

In northwestern Ontario, new detachments were opened in Armstrong, Dryden, and Nipigon, along with a new Forensic Identification Services site in Kenora.

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Man arrested after stealing truck, hitting police car: OPP

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One man is in custody after speeding away from police in a stolen vehicle.

Greenstone OPP got a call Friday around 7:30 p.m. about a vehicle taken from a home in Long Lake 58 First Nation.

They spotted it on Highway 11 and tried to pull it over, but the vehicle sped off.

When officers tried to block it on the road, the driver hit one of the cruisers and kept going.

The stolen vehicle was spotted again near Geraldton and police used a spike belt to stop it.

The 20-year-old driver remains in custody and faces multiple charges.

He is set to appear in Thunder Bay court Monday.

Treaty Three Police Vehicle June 2024

Treaty Three Police Chief tells MPs service struggles to meet area policing needs

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The Police Chief for Treaty Three Police says her department continues to struggle with underfunding.

Cheryl Gervais told a recent federal committee looking into Indigenous policing that the funding issues they face are having an impact on the communities they serve.

“Treaty Three Police Service was formed to reclaim our relationship with policing,” says Gervais.

“Yet 20 years later, we continue to struggle to meet the needs of our communities.”

Gervais points to the funding model that Indigenous police services are required to follow.

She says it does not reflect their unique needs.

“This is systemic racism in practice when structures built without us are still imposed on us,” says Gervais.

“The expectations for us to use models or systems that are not built for us, that don’t take the cultural responsiveness piece into consideration, the expectations of our communities on Treaty Three Police Service to provide effective service and equitable service to them in terms of public safety and them feeling safe in our communities, we are failing.”

Gervais says innovative policing programs have been implemented, but the progress made is slowed by one-time funding that fails to recognize the need for ongoing training, staffing or infrastructure.

“No other police service in Canada is asked to compromise so consistently between safety, wellness and sustainability.”

Treaty Three Police, along with Anishinabek Police Service (APS) and United Chiefs & Councils of Manitoulin (UCCM) Anishnaabe Police, turned to the courts two years ago after refusing to accept the government’s terms for a new funding deal.

It did result in an interim decision to flow funding.

The three police services are also part of a Human Rights case against the federal government that is still pending.

Gervais says there are some bright spots, citing a community cadet program and the introduction of a campaign that encourages positive interaction between youth and police.

Gervais says they have also become used to doing more with less, but it has a downside for her officers.

“Brings challenges when it comes to the mental health of my staff because of the geography we cover, the types of calls for service we respond to, the lack of supports and even resources when we’re trying to support our communities.”

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Youth facing child porn charges related to violent extremism group

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A youth is facing several child pornography charges that involve a violent, online extremist group, according to police.

In May, the RCMP and the Halifax Regional Police started investigating a youth who was an active member of an online group called 764, a subgroup of the Com Network.

Police say they often target children, youth and vulnerable adults and manipulate them into sharing intimate images or sharing images of violence against themselves and others.

Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean says it happens on apps like Discord and Telegram and games like Roblox and Minecraft.

“There are parental controls on many apps that you should familiarize yourself with and use, but most importantly, look very closely at how, when and where your child is using the internet,” MacLean told reporters during a news conference Tuesday.

They say no local victims have been identified, but MacLean says our community is “not immune to the probability that local children and/or youth are being targeted by these or other predators.”

The youth was released on conditions, but more charges are possible as the investigation continues.

They also would not say how many instances of child pornography the accused had created.

“There is copious amounts of chat data, digital evidence to go through,” said RCMP Sgt. Danielle Pollock.

“The generalized answer is, did we investigate to stop the issue? Yes, we did. Are we continuing to investigate to save and protect other youth? We are continuing to do that,” she said.

Officials say there is no evidence yet to suggest the accused was also a victim of the group.

“But through the course of how this network works, victims can be groomed to then become a predator online,” said Dave Boon, Superintendent of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division.

 Tips for parents

Officials say these predators can sometimes groom victims for months, working to gain their trust or start a romantic relationship, and then manipulating the victims.

According to the RCMP, they use their power over the victims and coerce them into recording videos or taking photos of them, siblings or others:

  • in sexually explicit poses
  • sexual acts
  • hurting animals, including family pets
  • harming others or self-harming
  • or other acts of violence
  • suicide

Police say parents should talk to their children about online safety and privacy, and they offer some tips, including:

  • If your child plays video games and uses chat features, put controls on who they can talk to. Check in to see who they are talking to and what kinds of conversations they are having.
  • They say you should encourage youth not use headphones when they play games and to get them to play in a shared family area so parents can monitor what they are doing online.
  • Remind children not to share any personal details about their name, school, address photos or videos on social media or gaming apps.
  • Be aware of who your children are talking to and take note of if they start to become more private or withdrawn. Also, encourage them to talk to a trusted adult if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or pressures them to do something.

Police say anyone with information about online extremist groups should call.

“We’re not trying to scare folk, but at the same time, our best defense against this is transparency, is being out there and knowing what’s going on and ensuring that you know our youth have our help,” said MacLean.

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