North Bay police bring 9 new officers on board
North Bay police have brought nine new police officers on board to join the force in a short swearing-in ceremony at the Davedi Club on Friday.
Newly sworn officer Const. Anna l'Ami, from North Bay, has achieved her lifetime goal of becoming a police constable.
She attended Canadore College where she graduated with a diploma in Criminal Justice Services. She also volunteered at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre before starting with the police force as a part-time special constable in May, 2021.
“I saw one our police officers that's on now in her uniform and I was just like so inspired by that to see a female in policing,” she said.
“I thought I could actually do this."
l’Ami is one of three new recruits to join the North Bay force. Six officers with previous experience from other agencies in other parts of the country were also hired, including from: Toronto police, Peel Regional police and the RCMP.
"I'm grateful here today that nine people chose to join our police service. Some are from North Bay, most are not. Some of them have moved thousands of kilometres to be with us,” said Police Chief Scott Tod.
As all police agencies continue to address retention and recruitment challenges, North Bay police has been able to consistently bring new officers on board. The service currently has 112 sworn in officers.
"Every other police service across Ontario is hiring. The larger police services are hiring by the thousands. Finding police officers is very difficult,” said Tod.
“But yet, North Bay seems to be an attractive spot for young police officers. I think it’s because of community first and police service second.”
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Among the constables with previous experience is Const. David Wright., a former officer in Hamilton, he was part of a number of different units, including: Uniform Patrol, Youth Officer, Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Community Mobilization Division, Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team, Bail Compliance Unit and the Crime Managers Office.
"I worked as a crisis negotiator helping young people, a majority of my career was in the offender management capacity,” he said.
“There are a lot of skills I can bring up here. We don't have those units due to the size of the service here."
He recalled the time he was first hired by Hamilton police in 17 years ago.
“I remember when I got hired in 2006, the odds of getting hired were about one in 250,” he reflected.
Chief Tod said having more trained officers will go a long way in creating a sense of safety in the community.
“It’s not just about crime. It’s about social disorder and other things that happen in our community that need police assistance,” he said.
The job of filling positions isn't over. Two recruits are currently at the Ontario Police College and three more officers are scheduled to be hired by the North Bay Police Service later this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.