The Story of Wilfred Justin “Bill” Fryer
Born & Raised in Amherstburg
My name is Wilfred Justin Fryer, the eldest son of Wilfred Fryer Jr. and Marjorie (Collins) Fryer. I have four brothers and two sisters. My father was the eldest son of Wilfred Fryer Sr. and Cora(Gibb) Fryer, and they had thirteen children. My father entered WWII at 17 years of age as a trooper with the Manitoba Dragoons, Armoured Corps. He volunteered for an assignment to go before the front lines to scout out the enemy. My grandfather, known as “Pip,” worked at Brunner Mond (Allied Chemical) while raising his family. He was also a member of the volunteer fire service and retired as a Volunteer Deputy Fire Chief of Amherstburg. After the war, my father married my mother and also worked at Allied Chemical NN(Wick). My mother, at the age of 51, went back to school, graduated at the top of her class, and became an RNA. She worked in the emergency wards at Hotel Dieu and Windsor Western.
So, I can say I was born and raised in Amherstburg. I was a paperboy at 12 and passed that down to my brothers as I joined the Columbian Squires. I was one of the original employees at the Lions Pool, my first year working as a clothes checker and demonstrator for swimming classes. I was also a member of the relay championship team at our Southwestern swim meet at Lansbury Park in Windsor. In my second year, I became a junior lifeguard and was again a member of the championship relay team. I also played on the Midget travel baseball team, and we won the divisional championships for three years straight. I finished Grade 10 at St. John’s and attended General Amherst High School, where I was a member of the first SWOSSA Championship football team. I also played Juvenile and Jr. B hockey.
I left school in Grade 11 and hitchhiked to the federal building in Detroit to enlist in the U.S. Marines. When I returned home, my father drove me to the federal building in Windsor and advised me that if I wanted to join the service, it would be the Canadian military. Upon returning to the Burg, he dropped me off on St. Arnaud Street and said, “Now find a job before you come home.” So, I walked into SKD and filled out an application and then walked home. At that time, I was advised that I was starting midnights at SKD. I spent a month there, and then I started the second shift at Chrysler. Later, in 1965, I married the love of my life, Christine Mincoff. We have three daughters. All three were athletes at Malden Public and General Amherst. As well, all three played for their university/college volleyball teams.
A Career in Policing
In July of 1969, I became a member of the Amherstburg Police Auxiliary under Chief George Hannah. In the fall, the Chief had a medical condition and had to retire, and the town hired a Windsor Police Constable, Ronald Seney. In December of ’69, he hired me as a Fourth Class Constable, starting January 1, 1970. In my first year, I attended the Ontario Police College for Part A of recruit training. I was also a witness to the Chief of Police brutally attacking a person under arrest, for which he was charged criminally with assault causing bodily harm. I testified against the Chief in the criminal trial in Windsor. Although he was found not guilty, apparently it was very uncommon in the world I was in not to go against your fellow officers. But that was never a part of my oath of office, and I never had any intention of violating the oath I took.
In November of 1970, Policing Services held the first Public Inquiry into the conduct of a Chief of Police, at which he resigned during the inquiry. There was a story in the Detroit Sunday Free Press about the “eleven months of hell in Amherstburg.”A lot happened in my first year on the service. His residence was shot at, and later, Mayor Murray Smith’s home was also shot at. In both cases, no one was injured.
After his departure, Sgt. Everett Johnson was appointed Chief, and my career took off. I was sent back to finish my Recruit Part B in September. During both courses, I paid close attention to all of the information, especially that provided by two retired RCMP instructors who taught evidence and criminal investigations. Their guidance took me down the path of criminal investigations and building cases. Then I had already started a number of JFOs (Joint Force Operations) involving Sandwich West, Windsor, the OPP and RCMP, conducting drug raids. I was also involved with the OPP MC Gang Squad, Canada Customs Intelligence, and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Marine Division.
During this time, there were two RCMP officers dealing with drug matters. When they were not available, they advised Malden OPP to contact Amherstburg PD and see if the Chief would allow me to assist them with all of the necessary paperwork. After this warrant was executed, my family home was damaged and my children’s lives were put in danger. It took less than eight hours to find out who was responsible. As well, during the ’70s, I had my Chrysler damaged in my driveway. In another incident, industrial roundup was spread all over my front lawn.
I was promoted to Sergeant in June 1980 and, shortly thereafter, started working straight afternoons until a new system was implemented. In 1983, I finally attended the Ontario Police College for Management Level I. After returning, our service ended up having a public inquiry into the conduct of an officer. Prior to this, I was the officer in charge of the first murder matter investigated, and an arrest was made within days. OPP Det. Inspector Ron Piers assisted our service with the investigation. He brought in a polygraph officer, and on the day of the funeral of the victim, the suspect was brought to our office to be interviewed. When asked if he knew why he was there, his response was, “Yes, I saw the look on Fryer’s face at church, and I knew he knows.” He then proceeded to confess to the murder.
After our inquiry in 1984, I attended the Ontario Police College for Management Level II.
The Chief was demoted after the findings of the inquiry were released, and the Board advertised for a new Chief. Tom Tack was hired as the new Chief. After he had been here for a period of time, he sent me to the Canadian Police College in Ottawa for the Senior Administrator Course.
During the ’80s, I became involved in a criminal investigation at the direction of the Chief. Shortly after starting the investigation, a Joint Forces Project was developed involving Amherstburg, LaSalle, Windsor, the O.P.P., and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, (known as Project Wasp). Numerous criminal charges were laid from theft to conspiracy to commit murder, arson. 2.5 million fire damaged cleared, $250,000.00 in stolen property recovered including 13 stolen vehicles. 18 criminal search warrants were issued and 72 officers were involved including Michigan State Police, Windsor and O.P.P. Auto theft branches were involved, Windsor and O.P.P. Tactical teams were involved.
After this case, I returned to run for Association President and ended up taking the position along with Jim Hedges and Bart DiPasqualie. Prior to this, the Board had to hire a lawyer to deal with contract negotiations. I met with the Board and advised them to save the money they were spending on negotiations. Within 30 days, the contract negotiations were settled, and within two weeks after that, a two-year contract was agreed upon.
We then ended up dealing with Chief Tack, who was being investigated for fraud involving a government RIDE program grant. He resigned, and I was appointed Acting Chief until I was officially selected as Chief the following April 1993.
There is a long story associated with this period. Between the time I was appointed Acting Chief and my official appointment, progress had already begun, and throughout my tenure, we were considered to be one of the most progressive police services.
During this time, I attended the Canadian Police College for the Executive Development Course. I also attended Level 3 modules dealing with Building High-Performance Teams, the Ontario Police Services Act, and Strategic Planning.
The Strategic Plan developed by our service was integrated into an Ontario Police College training module by Professor Steve Naanco, 3rd Edition, 1996. In addition to this, I organized training in Strategic Planning, and Professor Naanco attended to provide the training to other local police services and their respective Police Services Boards, as well as training regarding the Ontario Police Services Act.
During the same period, we developed a Complaints Bureau and established shared services with LaSalle, Anderdon, and Colchester.
I sent members of the Association to a uniform display in Toronto. After extensive research, we changed the traditional light-blue shirts and black pants to an all-black uniform. Officers found the material to be too hot during the summer, so I contacted police departments in California. They informed me that their uniforms were made from a poly-wool material. The following year, we changed to LA Blue uniforms, which, as you can see, have now become a standard across Ontario.
I had already started the Neighbourhood Watch and community groups. We then became involved in community-based policing initiatives, including foot and bicycle patrols. I was very involved with the Committee for the Fermi Emergency Evacuation Plan and conducted two drills in the community.
Serving the Community
Throughout this entire period, and beginning at the age of 19, I volunteered with the AAM (Amherstburg-Anderdon-Malden) Ambulance Service. I also attended the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in Madison, Wisconsin, for a three-day training course and received advanced training in emergency medical care.
I was involved in coaching girls' travel baseball for one summer, as well as coaching various other baseball teams throughout the years. I spent many years managing and coaching hockey, including winning an All-Ontario Juvenile Hockey Championship. The following year, we made it to the quarter-finals. I have spent almost 45 years involved in coaching and supporting the young people of our community. I also spent four years as a defensive coach at General Amherst High School football.
I spent at least some time at the high school every week, walking the halls and stopping in the lunchroom. I brought the Detroit City Police, as well as a community outreach band called the Blue Pigs, to the high school for an afternoon of enjoyment and community engagement with the students and teachers.
After retirement, I took some time off and then started working part-time as a Security Officer at Caesars Windsor on October 30, 2000. I worked on the floor until 9/11 happened and eventually was laid off, only to be offered a Security Supervisor position. Later, I was promoted to a Dual Rate position, meaning I worked as both a Supervisor and Manager. I received medical training annually, and eventually became a Caesars Customer Service Trainer. I retired from Caesars on October 30, 2013, while continuing to coach hockey throughout my time there.
For more than five decades, I have served Amherstburg as a police officer and Chief of Police, as a volunteer with the AAM Ambulance Service, and as a coach to generations of our young people. Through all of it, I kept the oath I took: to treat every resident fairly, honestly, and without exception. As Mayor, I will bring that same integrity, accountability, and dedication to Town Hall. I will listen to residents, respect every tax dollar, and make decisions in the open. Amherstburg has given my family and me a lifetime of community, and I am asking for the chance to serve it once more.