Constable Kevin Francis is still adjusting to the frigid temperatures and only five hours of sunlight each day, but he is thrilled to have launched his policing career in one of Ontario’s most remote regions. The Pembroke Campus Police Foundations graduate is part of the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service and is posted in the Northern Ontario Aboriginal community of Sandy Lake, where the winter daily highs are normally -30 Celcius.
“It’s a fly-in community,” says Francis, where police officers learn quickly how to problem solve. “It’s not an easy place to get to, so if you are in an emergency situation, you need to think quickly and perform to the best of your ability, because it may be a while before help arrives,” adds Francis.
Francis joined the force in April of 2014, four years after he graduated from the Police Foundations program. While waiting for his opportunity, he worked construction, but kept his foot in the door by volunteering with the Ontario Provincial Police in his hometown of Petawawa.
“I worked about 50 volunteer hours every month as an Auxiliary Officer, and kept applying to various police services. When I finally landed my first policing job, it was two years after I originally applied. New graduates can’t give up on their end goal of becoming a police officer,” says Francis, who adds the process is long, but very rewarding when you finally get to put on a uniform.
The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service mainly focuses on investigating criminal matters such as domestic disputes to weapons infractions. Officers often work with limited resources and backup while serving any of the 34 communities in Northern Ontario. The weather can be brutal in the winter with bitterly cold temperatures and plenty of snow, so officers are equipped with four-wheel drive trucks as many of the roads are made of ice.
Francis recently dropped by the Waterfront Campus while home for a few days to meet with his former faculty. “It’s a great program with plenty of experienced teachers, from current and retired officers to lawyers and faculty who had experience in military policing. “That diversity in teaching really helped prepare me for the Police Academy and my first policing position,” says Francis.
Most days, Francis works a ten hour shift. Sometimes the shifts can be much longer, but he is enjoying his career and looking forward to the years ahead, no matter where life takes him. For now, he’ll continue to dedicate himself to the people of Sandy Lake First Nation, some 600 kilometres Northwest of Thunder Bay.
“It’s a long way from home, but I’m thrilled to be here,” says Francis. It has been an incredible learning experience and I can thank Algonquin College for helping put me on the right path to becoming a police officer.”
The Police Foundations program is a two year college diploma. Graduates find employment in a variety of law and security fields including policing, airport security and private security services.
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