APSA Security Guard of the Year Awarded to Commissionaires Great Lakes Division

Commissionaires security guard, Chief Warrant Officer Rod McAlpine, was presented with the 2016 Security Guard of the Year award by the Association of Professional Security Agencies at a ceremony in Toronto.

McAlpine, a guard employed by Commissionaires Great Lakes, was recognized for his bravery and quick thinking while on duty at the Keele Corrections Centre.  On May 14, 2015, McAlpine, whose responsibilities at the site include overseeing offenders, was instrumental in ending a stabbing incident between residents.  McAlpine witnessed the stabbing, ordered the offender to drop his weapon, immediately instructed another resident on how to assist the victim, and ensured other residents went safely back to their rooms.  Police were called and the offender was taken into custody.  The victim received more than 27 stab wounds and recovered from his injuries.

“My military training kicked in and I did my best to remain calm but firm with everyone and make sure the situation was controlled without any escalation,” said McAlpine. “It’s an honour to be recognized for performing my duty.”

McAlpine, a 62-year-old veteran, served with the Canadian Air Force and joined Commissionaires in 2007.  He has been employed as a security guard at the Keele Corrections Centre since 2013.

“We are extremely proud that Rod has been recognized by APSA for his extraordinary leadership in a very dangerous situation,” said Tom Prins, CEO, Commissionaires CGL.  “At Commissionaires, our mandate is to provide meaningful employment for veterans. We see their loyalty, training and dedication demonstrated every day,” said Prins.

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About Commissionaires

Commissionaires is Canada’s premier security provider and the largest private sector employer of Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP veterans. Founded on the core military values of dedication, responsibility and sense of mission, it employs 20,000 people from coast to coast to coast. It offers a wide range of security services including professional guarding, monitoring and surveillance, threat risk assessment, non-core policing, by-law enforcement, digital fingerprinting, criminal and employee background screening, investigations, and security training. The completely self-funding, not-for-profit organization generates more than $500M in annual revenue, of which approximately 95% is returned to its employees.  Its clients include a diverse range of public and private sector organizations.  

About APSA

APSA is a national association and an official voice representing the security industry members across Canada.  APSA provides assistance to federal and provincial ministries concerning the security industry. The national office is located in Toronto, Ontario.

To arrange for an interview, please contact:

Mandy Chepeka

Communications and Marketing

Commissionaires National Office

T 613 688 0714

[email protected]