The province has honoured the recipients of the 2024 Ontario Medals for Police and Firefighter Bravery.
The Ontario Medal for Police Bravery was created in 1975 and recognizes acts of extraordinary courage and bravery performed by members of Ontario’s police services.
The Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery was created in 1976 and honours firefighters who have gone above and beyond to protect and serve their communities.
Among the recipients honoured was Owen Sound Police Service Constable Joshua Gurney.
On September 24 in 2023, Constable Gurney responded to a violent incident at an apartment building in Owen Sound. The building’s superintendent was ambushed by an individual armed with a hunting knife and bear spray. Constable Gurney placed himself between the attacker and the victim, and was sprayed and slashed at with the knife.
Constable Gurney, despite struggling to breath following the bear spray, managed to get control of his conducted energy weapon and stop the suspect. The suspect was later found to have tied the knife to their wrist and possessed numerous other weapons.
The official recognition from the province shares that "Gurney’s courage and quick thinking under extreme danger saved the superintendent’s life."
You can view all the recipients here: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1006761/recipients-of-the-2024-ontario-medals-for-police-and-firefighter-bravery?utm_campaign=%2Fen%2Frelease%2F1006760%2Fontario-awarding-medals-for-bravery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsroom
