Bruce Kruger

Bruce is a retired Detective Inspector from the Criminal Investigations Bureau of the Ontario Provincial Police, where he served for 30 years as Officer in Charge of Provincial tactical teams, drug and criminal enforcement. Following his service, he has spoken publicly about his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness and successfully advocating for legislative changes to first responders' medical treatment. He has been presented with two Canadian National Lifetime Achievement Awards for instigating two Provincial PTSD and Suicide public enquiries.

Bruce is the recipient of the Canada Medal of Bravery, the Queen's Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, the Ontario Police Medal of Bravery, and many other lifesaving and valour awards and honours. He is also an Olympic and Pan Am Torch Bearer and has held the Rotarian classification of Town Crier with Rotary International for 24 years.

As a Town Crier, Bruce has cried for dignitaries including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, the King and Queen of Ghana, Governors of Bermuda, Prime Ministers of Canada and Norway, Lieutenant Governors, Premiers, USA State Governors and World Ambassadors.

His competition achievements are extensive: 1st Place at the Queen's International Gold, 3rd Place at the World Competition, 1st at the North American Championship, 1st at the Ontario Guild of Town Criers Championships (2nd place in 2026), 1st at the Holland USA Tulip Time Festival, 1st in Belvidere New Jersey, and 1st in Berlin New Jersey. He has been awarded Best Dressed in Holland Michigan and New Glasgow Nova Scotia, two Best Ambassador Awards, and Best Written Cry at the Worlds Competition in Australia. His escort Lynn won Best Dressed Escort in England.

Bruce hosts the longest running Town Crier competition in North America, now in its 25th year. His son and grandson are both official criers, and his great grandson, aged nine, dresses as a crier. Bruce and Lynn have been married for 57 years and have 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.