I couldn’t help reminisce when I was here several years ago, waiting in line for my chance to speak with the prosecutor. It was my first year in university and I had just bought a “new” sports car; the rust only showed on the bumpers, but it was brand new to me. I had been caught speeding 90km/h in a posted 50 km/h zone. The officer that pulled me over was professional but stern; however, I don’t remember saying much because of how nervous I was. A friend recommended that I set a trial date because, “sometimes the cop doesn’t show up.”

I remember being extremely nervous as I waited in line, like there was a knot in my stomach. When my turn came up, the prosecutor offered to reduce the ticket to reflect 65 km/h in a posted 50 km/h zone. It was some $50.00 fine and no points, I was ecstatic. I had never been so happy to pay a ticket in my life, considering the original ticket was hundreds of dollars.

As I walked out of the courtroom I saw the same stern officer who had given me a ticket, he walked up to me and shook my hand. He cracked a warm smile and told me he liked my car, which made me smile.

A young man tapped me on my shoulder which made me snap out of my thoughts. I turned and recognized the young man from an accident which I investigated and ended up charging him for being at fault. I could tell he was very nervous, but he thanked me for retrieving a baseball cap of his that had fallen into the ditch at the time of the accident, and that I was a “cool cop”. He told me the prosecutor had cut him a deal to reduce his charge. I cracked a smile and told him I liked his car, which made him smile.

We get an update; the officer is in a foot chase with a suspect who fled after being stopped for speeding. There is more to this situation, I know it. As we approached the scene, we see the officer in the distance keeping pace with the male suspect.  My partner is familiar with the area, so she directs me through an alleyway and then through a private drive.  Somehow we end up approximately 100 meters in front of the chase; my partner quickly jumps out and is able to confront the suspect.  The other officer relays to us that the suspect has warrant for arrest.  The suspect appears out of breath and ready to give up.   As we approach him, he tries to make a run for it.  This time he is quickly taken down by the three of us and subdued as we apply the techniques we’ve practiced a dozen times before in Police College.

By this time, several more officers arrive on scene.  As I gaze back at my colleagues, its looks like an ocean of red and blue.  There is something about seeing that wave of men and women in blue that gives me a sense of security.   They are here for me, the feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood.  I love it.

We bring the suspect in, and numerous charges are laid.  Job well done, now where did I put that coffee?

Officer Sterling

As I greet my colleagues, I can’t help but notice that everybody looks sharp.  A group of men and women dedicated to looking and acting professional.  I have grown to trust these individuals as if my life depended on it, literally.  A group of sergeants bring us up to date on the projects, BOLOs (Be On Look Out), and new case law.  The meeting ends with laughter as my partner cracks a joke.

I make my way to my cruiser and pack it full with my duty and supply bags.  It’s going to be a cold day from what I heard on the radio.  I don’t like the cold, but somebody has to be out here.

We set up for R.I.D.E spot check.  The cold wind beats against my face, but I’m eager to catch an impaired driver.  An hour passes and it appears everyone is behaving, when my partner notices that a dark car in the distance is making a U-turn.  We quickly retreat to our cruiser and give chase.  As I activate my emergency lights, the dark car slowly pulls over to the right shoulder.  I cautiously walk up to the driver side window and notice a middle aged man staring straight ahead.  I ask him a couple questions but he ignores me.  He finally looks at me and asks why I stopped him, as he speaks, I can smell a strong odour of alcohol from his breath.

After conducting a roadside test, the man is arrested and brought back to our station for further breath samples.

Impaired driving is prevalent; however, we are doing are best to chip away at the problem one driver at a time.  I truly believe we are doing the right thing.  I want to make a difference.

With short term fun, comes long term paperwork.  There is more paperwork in this job than they will tell you, but somebody has to do it.

Before I know it, the end of my shift rolls around.  I look forward to seeing my family; I look even more forward to putting on my uniform again.

Officer Sterling

This past week, Haiti was hit by a devastating blow as it was rocked by a tragic earthquake that took the lives of over 50,000 individuals and affected the lives of millions, and those numbers are only expected to rise.

In order to support Haiti’s much needed recovery process, we have chosen to donate $20 from each membership sold between January 19th to February 19th in support of the ongoing relief efforts in Haiti. Our donations will be made through the Canadian Red Cross in order to ensure that help is legitimately provided to the victims and communities that have been affected by this unfortunate event.

Here’s our chance to help make the better place, and to help provide a better future for an entire country. Your support is greatly appreciated, and we hope that we can all make a positive difference together.

As it stands, all memberships will now include 25 WCT tests in total, and the additions won’t stop there.

Stay tuned for some big announcements that will be coming your way in the coming weeks.

Until then, we hope that you enjoy our newly updated Police Ready program.

If you would like to learn more about what is included in the Police Ready program, simply follow this link:
http://www.policeready.com/register/

- The Police Ready Team

Traditionally, a citizen is required to enter a police station to obtain a complaint application form. Once the form has been submitted, it is left in the hands of the police force to decide whether it is worthwhile to proceed with an investigation. Many citizens feel uncomfortable knowing that their complaint is left in the hands of law enforcement, which is why the  Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) have recently been launched as a third-party organization that is responsible for investigating complaints against any provincial, regional or municipal police officer in Ontario.

Any citizen wanting to file a complaint against a police officer is still required to step foot into a police station to attain an application form, but the completed form will be submitted directly to OIPRD for further evaluation. The Ontario Police receives approximately 800 types of complaints from the public, and through the new establishment of OIPRD, they are expected to receive approximately 1400 types of complaints. Among these complaints, the 3 most common categories of complaints are police misconduct, racial profiling, and abuse. Despite the increase in the number of complaints the Ontario Police is expected to receive, they are taking a proactive approach towards educating the general public regarding this new police complaint system in attempt to better understand their problems and to build a better connection with the public.

Visit https://www.oiprd.on.ca/cms/ for more details about the OIPRD.

Although this news story may seem quite entertaining, but what would you do if you were put in the situation as a police officer with a winning lottery ticket? If you know that you are financially stable, would you still be willing to risk your own life to serve and protect the city? It may be hard to imagine because people tend to do strange things when they win the lottery. We cannot judge the intentions of others, but it is always a good thing to reflect on the core values of your belief and to understand the true intentions of your own actions.

Police Ready has designed our own mini quiz that will help with your decision to become a police officer. Click here to try our free mini quiz.

Ever since its launch in Canada a few weeks earlier, this new Internet technology has raised some serious concerns for home security inspectors. The clarity of the images provide any user with Internet access to get a good look at your home and analyze your security installations. Although the images on Google Street View are not the most recent images of your neighbourhood, it does not provide home owners with a peace of mind knowing that people can be viewing their home on a computer screen without knowing their intentions.

However, the Ottawa Police does not believe Google Street View will be a concern for them. They have not received any concerns from the general public yet and on the other hand, they believe Google Street View can actually be used as a tool for police force to inspect an area prior to sending officers to an endangered location.

What are your opinions on Google Street View? Should it be a concern or not for law enforcement?

Powered by a 6.0L V8 engine with a stunning 355-hp, you know you won’t be able to run away from this beast on the street. The Chevrolet Caprice is schedule to be available in North America in the year 2011. According to General Motors, the Chevrolet Caprice is not based on any existing civilian car model and it has been rumoured that this vehicle will only be made available to police forces only.

We know you want to get your hands on this Chevrolet Caprice, so start your police prep with Police Ready to jumpstart your career as a law enforcement officer.

In the meantime, here’s a video to see the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle in Action.

2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle in Action

The Edmonton Police Service has launched a Neighbourhood Crime Map which is a crime mapping application for the public to view crime in neighbourhoods across the city. Although this may provide the community with a convenient and accurate method of understanding what is really happening within their neighbourhood, this may also pose a threat on the real estate values of properties located in areas with a high level of criminal activities.

How should the Edmonton Police Service respond to realtors and home owners that are being affected by their online crime map?