Aboriginal policing program trains 10 future cops

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A 10-month program at Grant MacEwan College's south-side campus will provide 10 Aboriginal students with the pre-training required to pursue a career in policing.

The men and women participating in the Aboriginal Police Studies program range in age from 19 to 40 and are from the communities of Grande Prairie, Kehewin, Wabasca, Hobbema, Fort Vermillion, Westlock, Fort McKay, Thunderchild First Nation, Sask., and Peguis First Nation in Manitoba.

The program will assist them with the physical and cognitive requirements needed to get into police department training. If they do not choose to go into policing after completing the course, the training is good for work in occupational health and safety, customs or fisheries, or other government agencies.

"It gives them a heads up in the training program that they want to go into," said instructor Karen Adams. "They have experts in various fields instructing them. There are so many different departments that they can apply to," she said.

Adams said there is a shortage of police all over the country and, in particular, a shortage of Aboriginal police.

A two-week practicum in the spring at one of the police departments in the city or at one of the Aboriginal police departments in the province will offer further insight in to what policing is all about.

"I'm really enjoying this group and the course," said Adams. "They are a great group of students and they are wonderful and a lot of fun. There is a wide range of ages between the students, so their life experiences are really helping them. They are very determined... They are very focused on what they want to achieve and they are willing to give 100 per cent to achieve that and that just makes the whole program worthwhile."

For 25-year-old Laurelle John from Kehewin, being a police officer was a dream of hers since she was 14 years old. Her break came when she was employed as a summer student with the RCMP at the Bonnyville detachment, a job that was to last for four months but ended up lasting for two-and-a-half years. At the end of that time, John asked for a transfer to Elk Point where she worked for six months. She attempted a RCMP entrance exam, but it indicated that she needed to brush up on her spelling and math.

"I told myself that I was going to fix those first before I attempted the test again. So I set a goal for myself that I was going to be a RCMP member by the time I was 30; no later than 30 years old. I'm 25 now, so hopefully by the time I graduate I will be 27 years old. My family is really supportive of me. They all feel that this is what I want to do, and everyone supports me on it.

"I guess my dad is one of my main role models. I see the way that he handles people, like he is really level-headed. It is a trick that I have and I know that I could use that in this field of work. You have to be patient with people and I know that I will be successful as a member of the RCMP," she said.

Shane Noon of Thunderchild First Nation found himself checking out the RCMP booths and posters at every career day at his high school.

"I always asked questions and I realized maybe I can help out, maybe I can become a part of their team. Today the RCMP is really involved in community policing and I like that. My sister is an RCMP member and I'd also like my younger brother to get in," he said.

As far as education is concerned, Noon said that he was a real "goofball" in high school so it made it harder for him to take post-secondary courses.

"You have to get your education and if you want to go into anything else you have to get your degree in something. That is really important and I'm so thankful and grateful that my parents stayed together and raised me the way they did. I work in a group home right now and a lot of those kids do not have parents.

"As for role models, I do not pick just one person to be my role model; I admire anyone who has actually made something of his or her life. I usually pick somthing I like about them," he said.

For Clayton Bird from Peguis, being a police officer was always a dream of his as well, and growing up in a home consumed by alcohol fuelled his dream to make things better.

"I really wanted to change what I'd seen growing up and I did. I'd like to say to the youth that if you want to get into this line of work, start reading up on it. It is hard work because nothing is going to be given to you. Believe in yourself.

"I grew up where I had to work for everything I did in my life because I found that if something is handed to you then there are no real rewards at the end. This course is great and the instructors that we get here, their knowledge is just unbelievable."