Police cadets complete course
They’ve been tasered, pepper sprayed, chased by dogs, undergone grueling workouts and much more — but all that hard work paid off Friday as 11 police cadets graduated from a one-ofa-kind police training program in Canada.
“They’ve gained so much confidence,” said Medicine Hat Police Service Chief Andy McGrogan, about the change he’s seen in the cadets over the 20-week program which kicked off in January.
The program is the only one of its kind in Canada, with cadets paired directly with a police service. It was first hosted by MHPS in 2016, Lethbridge in 2017, and returned to the Hat this year — and the graduation ceremony held at the Patterson Armoury, with bagpipes, colour guard and a crowd on hand to congratulate the cadets.
A key part of the program is the partnership with Lethbridge College, said McGrogan, with the cadets receiving academic accreditation for participating in the program.
And new this time around was the inclusion of three Blood Tribe Police Service cadets.
Five of the eight cadets will be offered employment with MHPS, while the three BTPS cadets will join that service.
This kind of training program is important as it gives police a really good look at potential candidates.
“It’s like a 20-week interview,” said McGrogan, adding that officers with 20-plus years on the force have come up to him to say they wish there had been a similar program when they started out to make them better officers.
“There were numerous challenges, The fitness was a huge shocker,” said BTPS cadet Brian Plume, reflecting on the 20 weeks. “And being away from my family for 20 weeks was really hard.”
While the cadets were from both Medicine Hat and the Blood Tribe they didn’t feel like they were part of two separate groups, said Plume — they worked together and leaned on each other.
With training done, he’s now looking forward to returning to his community to help make a difference there.
“Ikaakiimaat” is the Blackfoot word for “always try hard” said BTPS Chief Kyle Melting Tallow, which is what they ask of their cadets.
Before becoming cadets, the three candidates worked in reception roles with BTPS, he explained, and the change he’s seen in them now has been “amazing.”
“Just to see them in person, they’re taller, bigger, prouder.”
Training for First Nations police forces is usually done with the RCMP in Regina, so having it moved to Medicine Hat is an important change.
“I’m very proud to have been a part of this process,” said Melting Tallow, and he hopes this sort of successful programming which is unique to southern Alberta can grow to be done in all of Alberta.
Cadet Mark Parsons was recognized for his firearm skills, and was selected to give a speech at the ceremony on behalf of the cadets. Austin Weisgerber was recognized for having the highest achievement in fitness, while Lisa Gervais was recognized for breaking two cadet fitness records by deadlifting 129 per cent of her body weight, while beating the female record of 46 push-ups, by doing 50.
Look for a story in Monday’s edition of the News featuring Parsons and Gervais speak about their experience.