by Nancy King, Courtesy of the Cape Breton Post

Aboriginal pre-cadet program gives Eskasoni man bird’s-eye view of policing

Eskasoni – Gerard Francis has always intended to will pursue a career with the RCMP. Thanks to a special aboriginal pre-cadet program, he’s getting a bird’s-eye view of what the job involves before making that commitment.

Francis recently graduated from a three-week pre-cadet training program at the RCMP academy in Regina. Now, the Eskasoni-born 20-year-old is working alongside members of the detachment in his home community – several of whom are also Mi’kmaq – for eight weeks.

The pre-cadet program offers aboriginal Canadians between ages of 19 and 29 the chance to get an inside look at daily police work in areas such as crime prevention and community policing.

“Somebody told me about (the program) so I applied. I was really happy I got in,” he said.

The weeks of training in Regina – which included a lot of running and sparring – were so physically demanding he lost 14 pounds.

“I didn’t think it was going to be that tough,” Francis said.

Now in his second week at the detachment, Francis said it was visits to his school by RCMP officers that spurred his interest in law enforcement. Const. Duma Bernard,

Eskasoni’s school liaison officer, was a particular influence on Francis’ decision to pursue police work.

“He’s always been a role model for me,” Francis said.

“He is just doing a great job, making people drug-free and stuff.

“I just want to serve my community, make it a better place, make it safe, for people not to be scared walking at night.”

Francis has been accompanying Const. Jason Bernard as he responds to calls, conducts vehicle checks and has observed other day-to-day policing activities.

It’s the third time Bernard has served as a mentor to a prospective aboriginal RCMP member and he also serves as a field coach to cadets.

“We just don’t have enough in our outfit, especially in a First Nation community where Mi’kmaq is fluent,” Bernard said.

“In years past, we’ve been recruiting, we’ve been trying to get more First Nation people to join and apply for the RCMP. So far, there’s a few coming in but we just don’t have enough yet.”

Bernard noted that Francis has already seen the impact of responding to a complaint and being able to speak to the people involved in their own language.

Both Bernard and Francis are fluent in Mi’kmaq.

“There will be a call you’ll go to and all of a sudden you speak the language, it defuses a call quickly,” Bernard said.

“People recognize the language, they recognize both of us.”

The program is an eye-opener for youth, Bernard said, noting they get a good idea of what it is like to enforce the law in a community where they are dealing with friends, family and longtime acquaintances.

“It’s up to the student to take all the knowledge that they can get in that eight weeks and then decide, ‘I’m going to apply, or I’m just going to do something else,’” Bernard said.
Francis is now studying with the intention of writing his entrance exam for the RCMP academy in the fall.

If accepted, he will then return to Regina for six months of training.

“My family is really proud that I’m doing this,” Francis said.

They aren’t alone. Bernard, a 21-year veteran with the RCMP said he finds it gratifying to see aboriginal youth seeking employment with the force.

“I’ve seen Gerard from being a kid to being an adult now and actually being bigger than me,” he said.

“He makes me proud, seeing him work. It’s actually strange, from seeing him grow up and now we’re going to be patrolling together in a police car.”

Francis said if he’s successful in entering the RCMP he would like to serve in the north and possibly eventually return to serve in his home community, doing general police work.

“I wouldn’t mind just being a constable for the rest of my life,” he said.