February 16 - 28 , 2017 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY 21
JuanONJuan by Rosette Correa
The Vancouver Police Department is home to many brave young men and women who are determined to make the city peaceful and its citizens safe . The force is a multi-cultural fabric , and pretty much a reflection of Canadian society as we know it .
In this fabric is Ashley Abengoza , a young Filipina- Canadian , who has chosen law enforcement to be her career , and she is very much proud of the work she does with other officers in the VPD who have the same goals and aspirations she has for the city .
RC : Where were you born ? Where were your parents from ?
AA : I was born in Manila , Philippines . My mother is from Bulacan and my father is from Ragay . My family and I moved to Vancouver on November 1996 and I was about 4 years old at the time . I still currently reside in Vancouver , BC .
RC : What activities did you do as a young girl ? Did any of it point towards your current career ?
AA : Growing up I played a lot of sports such as basketball , volleyball , tennis , and golf . I was accustomed to working within a team environment
and enjoyed staying fit , but it did not point me towards my current career .
RC : What made you interested in policing ?
AA : To be honest , I never thought about wanting to become a police officer . I originally wanted to become a sports doctor , but my parents were persuaded by one of their friends that being a sports doctor was really hard to get into . On my high school graduation day , I randomly decided that I should try out policing and passed it by my parents and they said that I should go for it . When I entered Simon
Fraser University , I began taking criminology classes and discovered about forensic sciences , specifically on blood splatter . That really caught my interest and switched over from the Kinesiology Department to Criminology .
RC : What is your current rank ? What do you do in this capacity ?
AA : I am currently a Community Safety Officer ( CSO ). As an auxiliary CSO , I attend low risks and low priority calls to supplement and assist frontline police officers . Everyday duties of a CSO may include tagging property , video canvasses , bylaw enforcements and traffic control . I was formerly a Jail Guard as well . I conducted searches on inmates and routine safety checks . I was also a booking officer which required me to process inmates for court .
RC : What are the advantages and disadvantages of being in this line of career ?
AA : The advantages of being as CSO is that it is a good stepping stone on pursuing a career in policing . You are already exposed on the policing environment and the advantage of using the radio , Mobile Data Terminal ( MDT ) which is the computer , and driving a patrol vehicle . The only disadvantage is that as a CSO , you are restricted to certain calls that you can go to . Thus , only low risk and low priority calls .
RC : What would you advise to young people who are inclined to go into
Ashley Abengoza
policing ?
AA : You should really go for it . For a small person like me , there will be a lot of training involved but it will be worth it once you have your foot in the door because of the experience you will get . You do not have anything to lose ! It is also a good way to start off your career at any age ( as long you meet the application age requirement ) because you will be getting the same experience that all the CSOs have in their training .
RC : What do you see yourself doing in the next 10 years ?
Dingdong Dantes to host GMA Network ’ s crime documentary drama Case Solved
AA : In the next 10 years , I hope to be specializing or already in the forensics unit . If not , maybe a detective in the recruiting section .
RC : If you weren ’ t in policing now , what would you be doing ?
AA : If I wasn ’ t in policing now , I might actually be doing something in the athletic therapist / sports doctor field .
Ashley , like many young people , has a bright future ahead , and with what she has already accomplished in her career as a police officer , there is certainly more in store for her .
This February , GMA Network introduces its newest procedural crime documentary drama program Case Solved .
The show aims to deliver awareness and public information to the viewers in order to prevent crime .
Case Solved features sensational and controversial real-life cases ranging from non-aggressive to violent circumstances derived from Philippines ’ Supreme Court Reports Annotated ( SCRA ) handled by the country ’ s National Bureau of Investigation ( NBI ), Philippine National Police ( PNP ), International Criminal
Police Organization ( Interpol ), judicial agencies like the Department of Justice ( DOJ ), Supreme Court and Bureau of Corrections . More than presenting how the crime is committed , it further explains how the crime is solved .
Hosted by none other than Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes , this program presents solved cases that will empower and educate the viewers in predicting the probability of a crime before it occurs .
An advocate of justice and peace , Dingdong is equally excited to host this show which can help educate the viewers in crime prevention .
“ I like the concept of the show because it ’ s always good to have concrete stories as example . Also , it shows a positive ending wherein we show the problem ’ s resolution . The combination of all these things inspires me . With this , I want to share this with all the viewers . I want them to see a story of triumph because we like seeing problems being solved ,” said the Kapuso star .
Proudly presented by GMA Entertainment TV , Case Solved premieres worldwide on February 25 and airs every Saturday on GMA ’ s flagship international channel , GMA Pinoy TV .
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