A swearing-in ceremony held in Stand Off, Alta. saw five new police officers join the Blood Tribe Police Service.
Tristan Black Water, Nathan Montgrand, Coral Fenner, Autumn Jerry and Alex Mason all trained together over 23 weeks in Taber.
Now, they’re officially starting their careers as constables.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Const. Montgrand, who previously worked in the oil patch.
“I always wanted to be a police officer and life kind of took me down a different path.”
Police chief Brice Iron Shirt, who only recently took the role, is excited to be welcoming more faces to the service after having experienced shortages for several years.
“This is a huge step for our service,” he said. “For years we were understaffed and these cadets (joining) today — the numbers we want to be at for our service, which is better for the community.”
Some cadets are from the region, while others are making the move across the country.
Const. Black Water grew up on the Blood Tribe and always wanted to serve his neighbours.
“I just want to serve my community to the best of my ability,” Black Water said. “It’s just an awesome experience and I’m just excited for my fellow cadets, new constables as well.”
Const. Fenner, on the other hand, is making the move from Ontario to start her career. She’s a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames.
“With the Blood Tribe Police Service being the leading police service in Canada, I thought that it would be a good idea to move out to Alberta and join.
“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the Blackfoot Confederacy and getting to know Treaty 7 and the territory that I’m on.”
Three of the five officers are women, and Iron Shirt acknowledges the asset this brings to the services. Around 30 per cent of its members are women.
“(In the) Blackfoot way of life, women lead,” Iron Shirt explained. “We’re a matriarchal society and this is a huge opportunity for us to bring that back to our police service, to have that balance back to our service.”
Comments