Executive
Robert (Allan) Badour
President
(Board Member since 2022 - present term expires 2027)
BIO
Englehart 12N, Prince Edward 9, Belleville TRU East Region, RegionalERT Coordintor East Region, Aboriginal Critical Incident Coordintor FSB / GHQ, Commander Emergency Response Teams FSB / GHQ
Duties
OPPVA President
- Ad hoc member of all committees
- Attend meetings and functions
- Solicit Website sponsors
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as required
- OPPVA representative for Bridge dedications
- Prepare the President’s Newsletters
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Liaise with Chapters #9 Hastings-Prince Edward, #9 Kingston, #10 Smiths Falls, #10 Pembroke, #11 Ottawa, #11 Cornwall, and #11 Hawkesbury
Contact
Email: president@oppva.ca
Jeff Simpkins
Vice President
(Board Member since 2022 - present term expires 2028)
BIO
1987 Coboconk; 1988 NW Patrol; 1990 Kenora Ident; 1993 Sgt. South Porcupine Ident; 1996 Kenora Comm Centre; 2001 Cochrane; 2001 Nottawasaga; 2002 NAPS Support Unit; 2005 Seconded OPC; 2007 Academy; 2008 First Nations Bureau; 2012 Afghanistan (Civ-Pol Mission); 2013 Aboriginal Policing Bureau; 2014 Academy; 2016 S/Sg5 Comm Safety Serv; 2018 Ukraine, Civ-Pol Mission
Duties
OPPVA Vice-President
- Carry out the duties of the President when required
- Chair – Finance Committee
- Member of Governance Committee
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as required
- Liaison and be main point of contact with the OPPA
- Solicit Website sponsors
- Maintain OPPVA display case at GHQ
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Draft and Submit articles for the OPPA Beyond the Badge magazine
- Liaise with Chapters # 13 Sudbury, # 14 Sault Ste. Marie, #16 Thunder Bay and #17 Kenora-Rainy River Districts
Contact
Carmen Marrier
Secretary
(Board Member since 2016 - present term expires 2027)
BIO
Carmen joined the OPP as a civilian in 1970 and retired in 2004. During her 33 years, she worked as an Administrative Assistant in several areas, including the Office of the Commissioner, Staff Services, and Field Divisions. She ended her career as a researcher/writer in the Corporate Communications Bureau. She worked at three General HQs, 125 Lakeshore, 90 Harbour St, and 777 Memorial Ave, Orillia.
Carmen has been a member of the OPP Veterans’ Association since retirement in 2004. Shortly after joining Chapter 18, she became the secretary-treasurer. After relocating to Hamilton, she transferred her membership to Chapter 3 Burlington.
She was also involved in the administration of the OPP Youth Foundation for several years.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Secretary
- Responsible for preparing meeting agenda, recording and keeping meeting minutes
- Chair – Governance Committee
- Mentor Director Kevin Walker on roles and responsibilities of the Provincial Secretary
- Reserve meeting rooms for Board meetings at GHQ as required.
- Liaison with OPP Print shop / GHQ Graphic Design Section
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Solicit Website Sponsors
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Liaise with Chapters #3 Simcoe-Brantford and #4 Niagara
Contact
Dinty Garnett
Treasurer
(Board Member since 2023 - term expires 2029
BIO
Born in Edmonton, Alberta. Both of my parents grew up on farms in Western Canada. As a youth I lived in the following communities: Goose Bay, Labrador; Red Lake and Hearst, Ontario; Edmonton and High Prairie, Alberta. Graduate of Confederation College, Thunder Bay. Commenced working as a Civilian Communications Operator for the OPP in Hearst, May, 1977. Transferred to North Bay DHQ Comm Center 1990. CPIC Unit from 1997 to 2000. Promoted to Senior Communications Operator 2000. Retired April of 2010. Married with 3 children. Was at one time heavily involved in curling and have the level 1 Ice Making Technician Certificate.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Treasurer
- Responsible for all accounting / finances / and budgeting for the OPPVA and Provincial Board members
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Mentor Director Bill Harrington on roles and responsibilities of the Provincial Treasurer
- Maintain record of all OPPVA members and process new OPPVA members
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Solicit Website Sponsors
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Liaise with Chapters #12 North Bay and #15 Timmins
Contact
Robert (Bob) Cousineau
Webmaster
(Elected 2024 - term expires 2027)
BIO
Bob is a seasoned law‑enforcement leader with 38+ years of progressive service in the Ontario Provincial Police, spanning frontline operations, communications leadership, strategic planning, and technology management.
Bob’s career included command‑level responsibility across multiple detachments, operational oversight of major communications centres, and specialized advisory roles supporting Incident Command during critical incidents and major events. He advanced to the rank of Inspector, with managerial roles in strategic planning, government mobile communications, and enterprise wide video and telephone services.
Bob graduated from the University of Windsor Faculty of Social Science with a Certificate in Criminology and Criminal Justice. He also holds a Certificate in Police Leadership (Level II) from Dalhousie University.
Bob is an active contributor to the OPP Veterans’ Association; serving as (past) Director and (current) Chair of Chapter #18 – Orillia.
In his spare time, Bob can usually be found organizing the next big event for his local 700-member Car Club he leads. As Club President, he brings people together for charity car cruises, fundraising shows, and community events.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Webmaster
- Chair – Website Committee
- Chair – Social Media Committee
- Member of Governance Committee
- Liaison and be main point of contact with the COA
- Mentor Director Joanne Whitney on roles and responsibilities of the Provincial Webmaster
- Maintain OPPVA display case at GHQ
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Solicit Website Sponsors
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Liaison with Chapters #18 Orillia and #8 Peterborough
Contact
William (Bill) Harrington
Director
(Elected 2026 - term expires 2029)
BIO
Bill joined the Ontario Provincial Police on 10 Jul 1979; retiring 31 Aug 2010. During his 31-year career with the Ontario Provincial Police, he served at the following locations:
Port Credit Detachment, Wasaga Beach Detachment (2 summers), Pembroke Detachment, Systems Support Branch, Toronto Y2K Project, Toronto Unit Commander, OPP Telecommunications Unit, Burlington Professional Standards Bureau, Orillia, Ontario Integrated Safety Project, Toronto HSD IT Manager, Aurora OPP Telecommunications Project, Scarborough, 407 ETR Detachment.
After retiring from the OPP, he taught at Trillium College in St. Catharines as a Police Foundations Professor, and at Trios College in London as a Police Foundations & Microsoft Applications Professor.
Bill joined the OPP Veterans’ Association (OPPVA) Chapter 3 – Burlington. Later, after moving to St. Thomas in 2019, he transferred to OPPVA Chapter 2 – London. While a member of Chapter 2, he held the positions of Director for Elgin County, Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Treasurer for the OPPVA 2025 AGM.
Currently he is the Treasurer for Chapter 2, and the Treasurer for the OPPVA 2027 AGM to be held in London.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Director
- Member of Finance Committee
- Shadow and mentor with Provincial Treasurer Dinty Garnet
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Solicit Website Sponsors
Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required - Liaison with Chapter #2 London, and #1 Chatham
Shawn McFalls
Director
(Elected 2026 - term expires 2028)
BIO
Shawn was born and raised in Exeter, Ontario and obtained his BA in Sociology at the University of Windsor in 1995, the same year that he joined the OPP. He was first posted to the Walkerton (South Bruce) Detachment where he was a front-line officer. After a transfer to Perth County in 2001, he continued with front-line policing, including coaching two recruits. He was an Acting Sergeant for a year in 2005, following which he became the Crime Stoppers coordinator for Huron and Perth Counties.
In 2011, he returned to the front-line which was followed by a stint as the Vault Manager from 2012-2014. The front-line called once again from 2014-2015. This was followed by a second tour with Crime Stoppers and with it, he also became the detachment analyst. In 2019, he returned to the vault. Late in his career, he completed several assignments with the Public Service Radio Network (PSRN) Project, including a transfer to CTSB in 2023. He returned to Perth County in 2024 and retired with 30 years of service in April 2025.
He joined the OPPA as Perth County’s detachment rep in 2017 and remained in that position until his transfer in 2023. He is currently a member of the Huron-Perth branch of the OPPVA.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Director
- Member of Website Committee
- Member of Social Media Committee
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Solicit Website Sponsors
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Liaison with Chapter #6 Guelph
Kevin Walker
Director
(Elected 2025 - term expires 2028)
BIO
Kevin’s policing career began in December 1992 with the Wingham Police Service, 1994 with the Listowel Police Service, amalgamated with the OPP in June 1999, assigned to General Patrol in Listowel, Perth County Detachment. Completed duties in the Crime Unit, School Resource Officer and Court Officer. Completed three summer postings in Pikangikum and one posting in Killarney. Retired in February 2019.
Kevin joined the OPPPVA in Guelph in 2019. He became a founding member of the Huron Perth Chapter, being the first Chair in September 2022. He later became the Secretary / Treasurer for the Chapter after one year and remains in that position to date.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Director
- Member of Governance Committee
- Member of Finance Committee
- Shadow and mentor with Provincial Secretary Carmen Marrier
- Liaison with Insurance Broker – Commercial General Liability, and Directors and Officers policies adminstration
- Maintain the Over 90yr section of the Website and prepare the over 90 certificates
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Solicit Website Sponsors
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Liaison with Chapters #6 Mount Forest, and #6 Huron-Perth
Joanne Whitney
Director
(Elected 2026 - term expires 2029)
BIO
Joanne was a uniform member of the OPP from 1988 to 2018, holding various positions, including as a Constable in Morrisburg, Burlington, and Burlington Identification, as a Sergeant Communications Supervisor in Burlington and Kenora, Uniform Recruitment and Staffing Advisor at GHQ in Orillia, and Staff Sergeant Seconded to the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Unit in Toronto.
She served as the Branch 17 OPPA Secretary/Treasurer and President, worked in partnership with branch members, provincially with other branches, OPP senior management and OPPA Board of Directors to resolve issues affecting OPPA members.
Since 2022, she has been working on a part-time contract basis for OPP Uniform Recruitment as a background investigator.
Currently, she is the Chair of Chapter 3 Burlington OPPVA and was a member of the organizing committee for the 2024 OPPVA AGM.
Duties
OPPVA Provincial Director
- Member of Website Committee
- Member of Social Media Committee
- Shadow and mentor with Provincial Webmaster Bob Cousineau
- Represent the OPPVA at OPP, OPPA, COA, PPAO, and other events as directed
- Solicit Website Sponsors
- Flags, Stands, Backdrop, Display Table: Assemble/Dismantle at OPP/OPPA/OPPVA/PPAO and other events as required
- Liaison with Chapters #3 Burlington, and #5 Toronto