Lethbridge Police welcome new officers following cadet grad ceremony
The Lethbridge Police Service welcomed its six newest officers Friday following a graduation ceremony for the 2022 Cadet Class.
The ceremony, which was held at the Lethbridge College on Sept. 2, 2022, saw the swearing in and presentation of badges to Constables Christian Olson, Jesse Parmar, Joshua Smith, Dallas Stelmack, Kai Striegel and Derrick Van Hienen. Fellow cadet Kirsten Barwegen will be joining the Blood Tribe Police. Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh thanked Lethbridge College and all the instructors who ensured the new officers are exceptionally trained and ready to serve their communities.
He encouraged the graduates to understand the communities they serve, always act with respect, integrity and compassion, and commit themselves to making the community a little better than they found it.
Mehdizadeh noted the responsibility they have been handed as the future of policing.
“What you do today will become part of our history tomorrow. Work hard to serve the community, continue the legacy of those who have come before you and as you progress in your careers, model the way for future generations,” he said.
The cadets undergo 22 weeks of training in an award-winning program that was developed in partnership with the Lethbridge College.
The Police Cadet Training program, launched by the Centre for Justice and Human Services in 2017, was designed to meet industry demand for officers who had mastered both hard skills, such as firearms use, and soft skills, such as interpersonal communication, ethical accountability and teamwork.
The six new LPS constables, who were hired to fill officer vacancies, have an additional three weeks of in-house training and 18 weeks of field training ahead of them before they are ready to hit the streets alone.
The ceremony featured speeches from dignitaries including the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, Tyler Shandro, and the presentation of awards including the Top Cadet Award, which went to Striegel for showing true dedication to all aspects of training.