Removed from Police Order of Merit

Summary#

This notice records the removal of two people from the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. The appointments of Superintendent Robert Scott Baptist (Toronto Police Service) and Police Chief Terry R. McCaffrey (Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service) were terminated by an Ordinance signed by the Governor General on January 24, 2025 and published in the Canada Gazette on March 15, 2025.

What it does#

• Terminates the membership in the Order of Merit of the Police Forces for:
  • Superintendent Robert Scott Baptist of the Toronto Police Service.
  • Police Chief Terry R. McCaffrey of the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service.
• States the terminations were made by an Ordinance signed by the Governor General on January 24, 2025.
• The notice in the Gazette was issued and dated March 15, 2025 by Ken McKillop, Secretary General of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.
• The public notice does not explain the reasons for the terminations.

Who's affected#

• Directly affected are Superintendent Robert Scott Baptist and Police Chief Terry R. McCaffrey.
• Their employers, the Toronto Police Service and the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service, may also be affected in how these former honourees are publicly identified.
• Beyond those named, the item most clearly concerns people who follow honours in policing or who track actions taken under the Canadian honours system.

Why it matters#

• Being removed from the Order of Merit of the Police Forces means the two individuals no longer hold that national policing honour.
• The Gazette notice gives no reason for the removals, so the public and the affected communities will need other sources for context if they want to know why this happened.
• People in the affected police services, and anyone interested in police oversight, honours, or public accountability, may find this noteworthy.