MagAAFSzine November 2017, Issue 4 | Page 33

Hi, how are you?

Pretty good

Good! How's life in Calgary?

It's good!

How much and how often do you work?

I work 10hr days, 4 days a week. I am also on call 6-8 weeks a year. During that time we are on call 24hrs a day. I try and keep my weekends free. I currently coach two lacrosse teams.

How big is your family?

I have three children, two daughters and a son. 18, 15 and 10, [and] I have a chocolate lab named Charlie

How does your job influence your home life?

I am a police officer 24 hrs a day, so every decision I make must reflect positively on my profession. The other benefit is that if my daughters bring any boys home they know what I do for a living

Describe yourself in three words or one sentence.

I am a hardworking, dedicated person who enjoys spending time with my family.

How did you decide to become a detective/Inspector? 

In my job a detective and an Inspector are two different things. A detective conducts criminal investigations. While and Inspector runs a division within the police department. I was a detective for about three years and investigated juvenile prostitution. It was a tough job.

I worked in various divisions within the department and based on my experience and training I applied to be an Inspector. There are only six Inspectors in the Victoria Police Department.

Did you always want to be a detective?

When I was 14yrs old, I went on a ride-a long with a police officer and knew right away I wanted to be one.

If you didn’t always want to be a detective, what did you want to be? 

If policing didn’t work out I wanted to be a veterinarian.

What kind of education do you need to be a detective?

I studied Criminology and Psychology in school, but once I became a police officer I had lot of training that covered all aspects of being a police officer. Much of the training covered investigative techniques, statement taking, evidence gathering, command, tactics, supervision, etc.

When did you start studying to be a detective?

I became a detective after working in the area of youth-at-risk.

What did you do before you became a detective?

I worked in general patrol, mountain bikes and beat squad.

What exactly is your job, in your own words? 

My current job is the Officer in Charge of the Executive Services Division. This division supports the operations of the police department.

What area are you in charge of?

I am in charge of Professional Standards, legal, civil claims, policy, audit, computer and radio systems, the fleet and the building.