Grandson of late OPP officer donates memorabilia to police museum

Historic police treasures donated to OPP museum A Sudbury grandson is making a donation to preserve the early history of the Ontario Provincial Police. Watch Alana Everson's report.

Sudbury — A Sudbury man has donated his grandfather’s provincial police memorabilia to the OPP museum in Orillia.

The log books and other items, including a service revolver, date back to 1910; a year after the OPP started policing in the province.

Constable George Oliver Grassick served as an OPP officer in Ignace and Sudbury from 1910 to 1935. His grandson, George William Hill, wants to preserve policing history in the north.

"I decided that the best place for them was the OPP.  If they were with the family, they would just be stuck on a shelf and never paid any attention to them. But perhaps the museum can get some use out of them," said Hill.

OPP Const. Michelle Coulombe says the items will help preserve the provincial policing history dating back to the beginning.

"We are extremely lucky to be able to receive this donation. Our museum currently only has two daily journals from two other officers that served from 1910, and now we have a third," said Coulombe.

Some entries include details of capturing a 'mad' trapper in the Vermillion area, who was claiming the land and threatening to kill people.

"My grandfather told him he was going to bring him to Sudbury to check on the deed for his land and he brought him into jail," said Hill.

Const. Coulombe says the item highlights a very different era.

"Things are quite different. Back then, they didn’t have any roads, so obviously no patrol cars; so traveling horse and buggy, canoe, by train, and a lot of it on foot," said Coulombe.

OPP officials say the odds of the memorabilia being around 110 years later, and in great shape, is spectacular and will help highlight the early history of the police service.