Bridgewater Police Service hosts joint exercise with partnering agencies
Practice involves child abduction response scenario
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026
Bridgewater Police Service hosted municipal police officers representing similar sized forces from across the province to take part in the third multi-agency tabletop exercise designed to sharpen coordinated responses to major crime calls.
Gathered around a conference table at Bridgewater Police Service, the scenario-based training brought together key operational personnel and leadership from municipal police departments in Truro, New Glasgow, Annapolis Royal and Kentville.
"What I wanted to do was see if we could make this a bit more realistic - more like how it would happen in real life. We’re never going to get all the municipal teams together in one room right when an incident comes in, but this tabletop scenario gives us that chance,” said Danny MacPhee, Deputy Chief, Bridgewater Police Service.
“The initial call itself isn't super common but it's the fallout from it that we’re organizing. The information comes out in phases and we have to respond to a developing narrative.”
The scenario in play was that of a child abduction.
Child abduction cases represent some of the most time-sensitive and resource-intensive operations a police agency can face. In the opening aspects of an investigation, every minute counts. Since suspects and victims can quickly cross municipal boundaries, establishing clear lines of communication between neighbouring police agencies is vital for a successful outcome.
Over the next couple of hours, police officers in the room, including Det. Sgt. Matthew Bennett and Det./Const. Will Creamer of Bridgewater Police Service, worked through critical decision-making processes, rapid information sharing across municipal boundaries and deployment of amber alerts.
Tabletop exercises rely on simulated timelines and hypothetical injects. This format allows law enforcement to thoroughly test operational readiness and identify potential communication gaps in a controlled, collaborative environment.
Following the exercise, participating services debriefed; reviewing the strengths and any vulnerabilities identified.
“The goal is about working well with our partners,” MacPhee added. “It’s about building trust and understanding before a real call of that magnitude occurs.”
