NBPS ceremony formally adds 10 constables — many with local ties

The North Bay Police Service held a formal swearing-in ceremony for its 10 newest members — some recently hired and some who joined the service during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result of COVID-19 safety protocols, were unable to be recognized at the time. Seven recruits were sworn in as police constables and three experienced officers who were recently hired by the North Bay Police Service took an oath to the North Bay Police Service.

The new constables are:

• Cst. Dejon Campbell
• Cst. Christopher Dahlke
• Cst. Cameron Ladouceur
• Cst. Tonisha Maisonneuve
• Cst. Kaleb Mueller
• Cst. Dale Valade
• Cst. Meranda Wood

The ceremony also formally welcomed newly hired experienced officers to the North Bay Police Service:

• Cst. Christina Buckland
• Cst. Karanjit-Singh Dhillon
• Cst. Matthew Kliewer

Short biographies for each of the new NBPS members can be found below.

Monday's gathering at the Grande Event Centre opened with Inspector (retired) Robert Jolley performing the Piping In of Colours, Dignitaries, and Officers. This was followed by retired police officer and local Indigenous leader George Couchie as he led a smudge ceremony, followed by an invocation from Cst. Merv Shantz for the new hires and for all members of the NBPS.

North Bay Police Chief Scott Tod; Mayor Al McDonald; Dennis O'Connor, Chair of the North Bay Police Services Board; Constable Geoffrey Whittle, Executive Officer of the North Bay Police Association; and, North Bay Police Service Inspector Jeff Warner provided remarks.

“Today’s ceremony is a great day for the North Bay Police Service,” said Chief Tod. “These new recruits and experienced officers bring with them a wealth and diversity of both lived and professional experience, fresh ideas and ways of thinking, enthusiasm and dedication to the people of North Bay. I reminded them today that, as a Police Service, we can only do our job with the consent of the public. That consent is built on trust and confidence that is strengthened by every
positive interaction we have with the public. I am fully confident that this group of officers, like all officers serving with the North Bay Police Service, will perform their work every day with that fact in the forefront of their mind.”

North Bay native Cst. Tonisha Maisonneuve recently returned to the city and is proud to serve the members of her community.

"Coming back home was something I always dreamed of. It was the first service I applied to because it was, in my mind, North Bay is where I wanted to be, to patrol the streets I grew up in," said Maisonneuve. "I come across people in crisis and I know them and I get to comfort them in a way maybe a stranger couldn't."

Cst. Dale Valade is also from North Bay and said he was encouraged by friends already working for the NBPS to make a career change and a ride-along sealed the deal.

"I knew then it was something I wanted to pursue as a career," Valade said. "I was born here and moved around but North Bay has always been home for me. This is a really interesting time to be a police officer. We're seeing a progression in how policing is viewed. There is a lot more accountability that officers are having in the media with certain situations that they're involved in — and I think it's great. I'm a big fan of the body cameras that are coming in and it is only going to be positive moving forward."

As many of the dignitaries mentioned, the role of a police officer is evolving as the community faces shifts in the challenges it faces. The 10 officers come from diverse backgrounds but many were either raised in North Bay or have ties to the city. Two are graduates of the former Widdifield Secondary School while St. Joseph–Scollard Hall, West Ferris, Northern Secondary in Sturgeon Falls, and Almaguin Highlands Secondary School each count one graduate in this group. Four graduated from Nipissing University and six from Canadore College — three of the constables earned degrees and diplomas from both. There is a heavy dose of volunteerism and experience with social work.

More on the Constables who were sworn in:

• Cst. Dejon Campbell commenced his career with the North Bay Police in April 2021. He attended the Basic Constable Training Program at the Ontario Police College from May to August 2021. Dejon was sworn in as a Constable on August 27, 2021. Dejon attended high school in Brampton, Ont., after which he attended Canadore College where he obtained a diploma in each of the following programs: Community Justice Services; and, Police Foundations and Mental Health and Addictions Worker. Dejon furthered his education by obtaining an Honours Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice. While Dejon was a student at Nipissing University he played varsity basketball on an athletics scholarship. Prior to joining the NBPS, Dejon was employed at the Brampton Court House.
• Cst. Christopher Dahlke started with the North Bay Police Service as a part-time Special Constable in October of 2019. He was hired as a Cadet in December of 2021 and attended the Basic Constable Training Course from February to May 2022. He was sworn in as a Constable on May 13. Chris is a graduate of Widdifield Secondary School. He has a Diploma in Police Foundations from Canadore College. Prior to joining the North Bay Police Service Chris worked in security at the North Bay Regional Health Centre.
• Cst. Cameron Ladouceur started with the North Bay Police Service as a part-time Special Constable in May 2018. He was hired as a Cadet in December of 2019 and attended the Basic Constable Training Course at the Ontario Police College from January to March 2020. He was sworn in as a Constable on April 20, 2020. Cam is a graduate of Widdifield Secondary School after which he attended Georgian College where he obtained a Diploma in Business Administration. Cam volunteers his time as a hockey coach for various teams and organizations in and around North Bay.
• Cst. Tonisha Maisonneuve commenced her career with the North Bay Police in April 2021. She attended the Basic Constable Training Program at the Ontario Police College from May to August 2021. Tonisha was sworn in as a Constable on August 27, 2021. Tonisha is a graduate of St. Joseph Scollard Hall, Canadore College, and Nipissing University. After receiving her diploma from the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Assistant program she continued her education by obtaining an Honours Bachelor of Social Work Degree. Prior to joining the North Bay Police Service Tonisha was employed as a member of the Crisis Outreach and Support Team at St. Leonard’s Community Services in Brantford.
• Cst. Kaleb Mueller started with the North Bay Police Service as a part-time Special Constable in October of 2018. He was hired as a Cadet in December of 2021 and attended the Basic Constable Training Course from February to May 2022. He was sworn in as a Constable on May 13. Kaleb is a graduate of Crystal Beach High School. Kaleb attended Nipissing University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Criminal Justice. Kaleb is also a graduate of the Police Foundations Program at Canadore College. Kaleb has been actively involved in the community as a hockey coach and currently volunteers on a weekly basis with a local youth group.
• Cst. Dale Valade is a graduate of West Ferris Secondary School. He then attended Durham College where he obtained a diploma in Professional Golf Management. Afterwards, Dale continued his education by obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science at Laurentian University. Prior to joining the North Bay Police Service in April 2021, Dale was employed as an Investment Advisor with TD Canada Trust Bank in Sudbury. Dale attended the Basic Constable Training Program at the Ontario Police College from May to August 2021. Dale was sworn in as a Constable on August 27, 2021.
• Cst. Meranda Wood graduated from Almaguin Highlands Secondary School and obtained a diploma from Canadore College in Community and Justice Services. Prior to joining the North Bay Police Service, she was employed with the Greater Sudbury Police Service as a Special Constable. Meranda was also a Special Constable with the OPP at Queen's Park. She was hired as a Cadet in September 2020 and then attended the 10-week Basic Constable Training Course at the Ontario Police College. She was sworn in as a Police Constable on December 29, 2020. Meranda volunteered as a Big Sister and sat on the Inclusion Council while employed with the GSPS. Cst. Wood started the successful “Adopt a Senior for Christmas” initiative at the North Bay Police Service.

The experienced officers include:

• Cst. Christina Buckland comes to the North Bay Police Service from the York Regional Police Service where she had been employed as a Constable since 2018. Christina is a graduate of Northern Secondary School in Sturgeon Falls. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Nipissing University and a Diploma in Community and Justice Services from Canadore College. Christina is a qualified Breath Technician. Prior to joining the York Regional Police Service Christina was a Special Constable with the OPP at Queen's Park. Christina has spent time volunteering for York Region Big Brothers and Big Sisters and has taken part in the polar plunge in support for Special Olympics.
• Cst. Karanjit-Singh (KJ) Dhillon comes to the North Bay Police Service from the South Simcoe Police Service. KJ started with the South Simcoe Police Service in 2020 and joined the North Bay Police Service in May of this year. KJ is a graduate of North Park Secondary School in Brampton and earned an Honours Bachelor of Human Services (Police Services) Degree from Georgian College in 2020. KJ served eight years with the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. KJ has a well-established history of volunteerism and service in the community, most recently as a Board Member with the Rotaract Club of Barrie where he was the Co-Founder and Chair of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee and Community Services Committee Lead.
• Cst. Matthew Kliewer had been a Police Constable with the Waterloo Regional Police Service since December 2018 prior to joining the North Bay Police Service. Matthew joined the NBPS in April. Before commencing his career as a Police Officer Matthew was employed as an Industrial Electrician. He is a graduate of Galt Collegiate Institute and Vocational School where he obtained his OSSD and Conestoga College where he obtained his Ontario College of Trades Industrial Electrician Certificate. Matthew’s community involvement includes: as a kitchen helper for the Out of the Cold Program, a volunteer for the Sunbeam Care Centre in Kitchener where he participated in the launch of a new volunteer program called “Extend-A-Friend” and a hockey instructor for the Galt Minor Hockey School in Cambridge.