The newest members of the North Bay Police Service were sworn in as constables in front of fellow officers, family and friends on Monday morning at police headquarters. New recruits, from left, Brodie Beard, Justin Brear, Sarah Marcotte and Mitch Thomas will now be assigned a coach officer and undergo practical first-hand training with the force. PHOTO BY LIAM BERTI
Members of the North Bay Police Service are, perhaps, the most trusted and relied-upon citizens in the city.
It’s only fitting then that the recruitment of new officers is one of the most comprehensive and arduous hiring processes out there.
On Monday morning, the four newest recruits to make it through that intensive process were sworn-in at North Bay Police Service headquarters, ushering in the next generation of North Bay’s finest.
Mitch Thomas, Sarah Marcotte, Justin Brear and Brodie Beard were all officially sworn in as constables and given their badges in front of fellow officers, family, and members of the community that they will now be serving.
“This is something that you start working at from a very young age by getting involved in the community, being a positive member of that community and helping out as much as you can with whatever group you can,” said Thomas after the ceremony. “With the badge now, you’re always on duty and always looking to make a difference in the community.”
The recruits recently returned from their 12-week basic constable training at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer, Ont., where they underwent physical and academic scrutinizing.
On the academic side, the students had to exceed the minimum mark of 75 per cent in each subject, while also meeting the standard with practical disciplines such as firearms, defensive tactics, officer safety, police vehicle operations and fitness.
The students were also subject to leadership training, something that all four recruits are well versed in already.
Thomas has long been involved in the community as a volunteer and has coached hockey goaltenders for over eight years, Marcotte has taught English as a second language and has done some soccer coaching of her own, Brear has worked as a child and youth worker for the Children’s Aid Society, and Beard has captained almost every hockey team he played for throughout his extensive hockey career.
“It’s about leading by example and I think that’s why people say we are held to a higher standard: we are the role models, we are the people that are policing the community and people look up to us," Beard explained. "I look forward to that responsibility."
Police Chief Paul Cook also said that each individual’s familiarity and interaction with the city is a pivotal component of the hiring process. Thomas, Marcotte and Brear were born and bred in North Bay, while Beard, a South Porcupine-native, has called the city home since being recruited by the Nipissing Lakers men’s hockey team in 2009.
“I just fell in love with the place,” Beard put simply. “North Bay has proven to be a very tight-knit, close community and the police force work hand-in-hand with that community, and that’s what I’m all about.
“It’s one thing that I hold near and dear to my heart, so I look forward to doing that for the rest of my career,” he continued.
But as Chief Cook made clear on Monday morning, now the real work begins for the young constables. The recruits will each be assigned to a different platoon and will be designated a coach officer for mentorship guidance for the next four months or so.
While the bulk of theoretical classroom training might be behind them, Cook said the recruits will learn something new every day throughout their career on the force.
“Our hiring process is very long, very arduous, and very challenging, but this is just the first day of the rest of their careers,” he said. “The great thing about the policing profession is you learn something everyday; I’ve been in the profession for 33 years, and there isn’t a day that I show up for work that I don’t learn something new.”
The young recruits echoed that sentiment too.
“The process is long, but so it should be,” said Brear. “Getting the badge is a huge part of this, but it’s just the next step. Each step that you make, you always know there’s another big one coming.”
Whatever those next steps might be, you can get used to seeing their faces around town a little more often.
To learn more about the newest members of the North Bay Police Service, read their profiles provided by the North Bay Police Service below.
Brodie Beard
Born and raised in South Porcupine, Ontario, Brodie played in the OHL for the Ottawa 67s for 4 years. In 2009, he moved to North Bay to study at Nipissing University, where he captained the men’s varsity hockey team. Brodie graduated from Nipissing’s four-year Bachelor of Physical Health and Education program with a BPHE.
Justin Brear
Born in North Bay, where he attended West Ferris Secondary School, Justin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Nipissing University, where he graduated in 2013. Justin has work experience as a security guard at Canadore College and Nipissing University and as a child and youth worker for the Children’s Aid Society.
Sarah Marcotte
Born in North Bay, where she attended St. Joseph Scollard Hall, Sarah graduated from Nipissing University with a Bachelor of Education in 2010. She spent a year abroad teaching in London, England, returning to North Bay to teach English as a second language for two years at the English for International Communication Institute. Sarah has been actively involved in coaching youth and adult soccer in the community for several years.
Mitch Thomas
Born in North Bay, where he attended Chippewa Secondary School, Mitch graduated from Canadore College in 2010 with a diploma in Police Foundations. He spent six years working in customer service in a sporting goods retail store and has been actively involved in the community, as a volunteer, coaching young goalies for the past eight years.
