DIEPPE, N.B. – Students in the police foundation program at CCNB in Dieppe are learning tactical training and how to train their minds to manage stress.
“We offer a two-year course where they learn the basics of police work and security work. They can’t go from here directly from a police organization, they still need training after that,” said the college’s newest instruction, former Codiac RCMP Cst. Damien Theriault.
Theriault said he’s determine to do whatever he can to prepare his students for life as peace officers. He served as an RCMP officer for 24 years. Among tactical and self defense training, Theriault will also train students to watch for signs of stress.
“There is not a police officer who goes through a career without being faced with a traumatic event,” said Theriault.
Theriault was a member of the Codiac RCMP when the force lost three of their own in June.
Student Jessica Richer said the class openly discussed the importance of speaking up.
“We are like a family so we like to talk about how we feel,” she said. “We learn techniques to deal with stress, like relaxation. We learn how to talk to somebody if there is something wrong or going on in your life.”
Norman Branch, also a retired RCMP officer, teaches a second-year course specifically designed to prepare students for the inevitable: to see and experience traumatic events.
“It’s called ‘Stress in Police Work.’ The course is made to make them aware that there is stress in this kind of job and also how can they cope with it,” said Branch.
Something Theriault said he was always encouraged to do when he was on the force.
“There was never a time in the RCMP where I did not know that there was help if I needed help.”
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