Senior Constable Don Doucet Sault Ste. Marie Police ServiceOntario
End of Watch: Sunday, May 14, 2006
Biographical InfoAge: 41
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: 219
Incident DetailsCause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: Sunday, May 14, 2006
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Charged

Senior Constable Don Doucet was killed in an automobile accident.Constable Doucet was a passenger in police cruiser travelling southbound on Black Road. A van was travelling eastbound on McNabb and the two vehicles collided. Both officers and the driver of the van were taken to the Sault Area Hospital by ambulance. Constable Doucet was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries shortly after the collision. The police officer who was driving the cruiser was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the van was charged with impaired driving after the collision, impaired driving causing death, driving causing bodily harm, and driving with a blood alcohol reading exceeding .08.Constable Doucet was a 12-year veteran of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services and was currently assigned to Patrol Services. He is survived by his wife and his two daughters.

DAD and JOCELYNE'S LIFE TOGETHER

My dad... in the most simple terms, was my mentor. He didn't just teach me right from wrong, he didn't just provide a comfortable life for me, he didn't just raise me because he had to... he loved me, he was involved in all aspects of my life, he taught me how to be the best I can be. He had faith in me, he was my buddy, he disciplined me because he cared about me - and I don't regret one single second of it. My dad was great. He was a "True Blue Hero" - not only that, he was my hero.

Ever since I was young he's been there for me. He taught me how to play, how to work hard and how to stay focused.
He stayed home while mom went to work and he played with us, taught us new games when we were younger (like marbles and army men, taught me a football dice game, cribbage, barbies etc).
he took us to play basketball starting when I was 4 (I've been playing ever since)
he took us to the park, taught me how to play tennis
We went to the beach
Always made us laugh, I always felt secure and never alone when I was young
He helped me with my homework
I remember trying to learn the colours in french and he helped me
Whenever I'd make a mistake in anything, or do something wrong he would teach me the right way to do things, he always had patience
I went on my first rollercoaster ride with him at Canada's Wonderland (the Ghoster Coaster) – and even though I was scared out of my mind then, I love them now!
We always went to Canada's Wonderland with him and the family, he'd take us on the water rides and he'd introduce the new rides to us
we went to the ontario science center and learned about electricity and rock climbing
When we went to Science North in Sudbury he was always the first to be involved in learning something new, or in teaching us something new, or testing our abilities.
We'd go trick-or-treating as a family and I always had a great costume (puppy, crayon, ninja turtle, princess, panta mime etc)
As a family, we'd go mini-putting, go-cart racing, and bumper boating at the great northern family fun park. Also, when we went down south during the summer, he'd always bring us to Ruckers (indoor go-carting and bowling), to the large arcades, to Rollerama (rollerskating places). We were always experiencing new places, making new friends and learning new things. One time we went to the Ontario Science Center and I went on stage where they had a presentation - I got to put my hand on the round electricity ball that made my hair stand on end, in front of the whole crowd. It was exciting for me, and it made me more comfortable with being in front of a large crowd.
Grades 6, 7 and 8 I was involved in softball, basketball, volleyball, the school clubs, I was the Master of Ceremonies for the end of the year plays, I was a french tutor and I was valedictorian. I could have never done any of that without the help of my dad who taught me how to play those sports, and how to become a leader. He taught me how to help others learn, and how to apply myself in every situation. He taught me that if a door opens, I should jump at the opportunity, so I did.. and I ended up receiving valedictorian in grade 8, and highest female achievment.
Every summer I was involved in either softball, basketball training camps, basketball leagues or Drum Corps (Bandettes). He was always supportive and seeking new ideas to help us reach higher goals. One year (1997) I participated in the Friendship Games where I went down to petosky michigan and stayed at a billet's house for the weekend and the canadian softball team played against the american softball team. That provided me with an independent chance to experience new situations with new people in a new place at a young age (11 years old). He had confidence in me which helped me grow and gave me confidence in myself.
In grade 9 I tried out for the Sir James Dunn basketball team – I was scared at first, because I didn't know anybody, but my dad went and talked to the coaches, and I ended up practicing with the senior girls team before trying out for the junior girls team. I played basketball as an Eagle for all four years of highschool. And I still play to this day.
In grade 11, I was able to design a web page using HTML format for a virtual science fair. I wouldn't have had a strong website had I not been able to go to the police station with my dad to get some good pictures of the breathalyzer and if he hadn't given me the opportuniy to learn more about the process they use when dealing with impaired drivers. My friend and I won 50$ in the science fair because we did a great job.
Every year our family would go on a road trip to southern ontario to visit family, to go to Canada's Wonderland and to just vacation for a week or two. This provided us a lot of time to connect and joke around. It gave us the opportunity to bond as a family – dad was really a family man. He was an everything man.
Last summer when we went to Brooklyn Ontario to visit my aunt, he took me to Canada's Wonderland, him, my uncle and I went to see the Blueman Group in Toronto, and he bought me a series of Beatles books (for my birthday)at a bookstore we browsed – he knew I was really interested in the Beatles. Last summer him and I went to the movies frequently together and we also went to Harmony beach to throw the football, play volleyball in the water or just swim. We were very close.
When grade 12 rolled around, I wasn't sure of what to do after highschool. I was going to enter into a pharmacist program but it wasn't entirely what I wanted because I enjoy working with people and a change of pace once in a while. Through some research and talking with different people, my dad brought up nursing as a possibility. He got all the information for me, and he even co-signed for a student line of credit so I could pay off school by myself (giving me freedom and independence while still supporting). I grabbed the opportunity.
Dad talked with the owner of the Tim Hortons on Pine/McNabb and I got a job at Tim Hortons for two years (grades 11 and 12). He was always looking for opportunities for my sister and I.
I remember when my dad would give us tokens for dairy queen if we wore our helmets on our bicycles, and he'd give us free fair rides when he worked the fair. He'd take us to Greyhound games whenever he'd get tickets. One time him and I went (in November) and he talked about how we should go across the street for a drink during half time and then go back to the game – just like him and his friends would do. It made me feel like he was my friend.
Last summer and this spring he told me that whatever I chose to do this summer he'd pay for. He suggested some sports , karate, or some kind of summer camp. I chose soccer – a few days before he died, him, my mom and I went “shoe shopping”. He bought some Newbalance shoes, he got me my UMBRO soccer cleats and my mom got some shoes for work (she was going to start working at Ernie's coffee shop). Last year he bought me some shin guards for soccer. He really loved it when me and my sister were active. He would always tell us to use our YMCA memberships and last summer he even said that he would start running with me every morning if I wanted to.
He was always actively involved in our health. We were hardly ever sick – I've only ever taken 1 pill (for an excruciating pain I had 4 years ago). Whenever we had the cold or a flu he told us not to take anything for it because our body's defence system would fight it off. He was right. And now our immune systems are much more resilient because of it. He never had any health problems and he always kept active, never smoked (except the odd cigar), and he provided his kids with the perfect role model.
Whenever I had a problem (from a spider in the bathroom to a suspicious-looking vehicle to a weird noise around the neighborhood) he'd always step up and provide our family with the comfort and protection we needed. Now it feels like I've lost that protection and security.
If I ever had a problem with someone or an event, I would usually ask my dad how to deal with it.
As a teenager, he trusted me a lot. One of his famous sayings to me was “well Joce, I trust you. If you're ever doing something or caught up in something and you're not sure what to do, just imagine I'm there with you – think about what I'd say or do about it”. Because of that, I'd never drink at parties or I'd never be irresponsible – because I knew that that was not what he would ever want for me.
When my dad was offered a position as a detective, he took it. Not because it was a way of “moving up the ladder” but because it was an opportunity he knew would help him grow. After a year of detective service he retreated back to a patrol officer because he enjoyed working on the road... he once told me that he got a lot more fulfillment from patrolling because of the people that needed his help. He said that out of a day if he could help only one person, it was worth it. I learned a lot about him that day. I realized that he wasn't a police officer for the title, or for the stature... but he was a police officer because he wanted to help those in need. He told me once that growing up in bayview gave him the opportunity to be the mediator whenever there were fights (there were a lot of fights in bayview!). He told me he never got in a fight with anybody – not as a boy – not even while playing hockey. Everyone respected him. I sure respected him.
Now I will be entering my third year of the Collaborative Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree program at Sault College. He's always had faith in me. Just a couple months ago he told me how proud he was of me, and how he thought I'd be one of the best nurses because I was cut out for that job. He told me “Joce, I know my girls.. and I know that you'll both be very successful in life”, that gave me enough courage to finnish my exams and complete the semester.

Without Dad... life would have never been the same... and now -- without dad... Life isn't the same. But life goes on... and it's a new change... a new life... and I have alot to look forward to. I miss you dad!!!