News Release

Mayor Urges Police Officers to Get to Know Community

(Friday, September 23/05)-- Mayor Peter Kelly, on behalf of Halifax Regional Council, today urged members of a graduating class of police cadets “to take the time to get out of the cruisers and meet with our citizens, so you can get to know them, and they can get to know you.”

Mayor Kelly, speaking prior to the graduation ceremony for 23 Halifax Regional Police cadets, said it is important for new officers to establish strong, positive working relationships with the community at the very start of their careers in policing.

“When our citizens get to know you, when they see you patrolling their neighbourhoods on a regular basis, they’ll get a greater feeling of confidence in the police service because they will know you’re not just police officers, but members of our community who they can count on in times of difficulty,” the Mayor said. “You are required to uphold the law, but it’s also your challenge to connect with our residents and let them know you are there to help them with various issues and to make our community a safer place in which to live and work.”

The cadets graduating from Halifax Regional Police’s in-house 2005 Police Science Program were hired on the spot. These hirings are part of Regional Council’s commitment to increase the number of police officers by 32 over a two-year period. The cadets hired today will be assigned to the Patrol Division, allowing experienced officers to fill vacancies in the Traffic Division and the Quick Response Unit.

–30--

Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 222-9999