The first class to graduate from Holland College's Atlantic Police Academy gathered in Summerside recently to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their squad. Thirteen of the 15 members of Squad 1 traveled from as far afield as Vancouver to spend a weekend in each other's company once again.
They're a close-knit group; probably because of their shared experiences in Squad 1. The class meets every five years, but this year was particularly poignant, as it was the first time that some of the members could not attend. One was unable to travel due to health problems, and the other had a previous commitment. Marjorie Densmore Mingo remembers how it was to be part of the first class to go through the new police academy in 1971.
"For many of us, it was the first time we had been away from home. Most of us were still teenagers. What a responsibility for our instructors ? 15 teenagers, and only two full time and one part time instructor! I don't think that there is a class that has remained as close as we have," she recalled.
The first class at the academy started in February of 1971. The fifteen students were from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The class was comprised of John James Arsenault, Kenneth N. Bradley, Linda M. Campbell, Robert A. Campbell, Gary J. Chandler, Marjorie A. Densmore, Mark Finniss, Wylie P. Gaudet, Dave J. Griffin, Albert I. Kern, Howard N. Kerwin, Marlene J. Hazelton, Jack W. Lord, Shayne L. McQuaid, and Basil L. Stewart.
Back in 1971, the success of the Atlantic Police Academy was in many ways contingent on the success of those 15 youngsters. Staff and students alike were aware of the close scrutiny of the policing community across the region. The academy had been formed to meet the training needs of police services large and small in the Atlantic Provinces, and was intended to provide standardized training of the highest level possible. Had the first 15 students failed, in the eyes of many within the police community, so too would the academy.
But the cadets in Squad 1 lived up to the expectations of their instructors, and in return, the lessons that they learned have stood them in good stead over the years.
"The Atlantic Police Academy taught me to stand on my own two feet, to stand up for myself, and if I was right, or thought I was, to find proof," recalled Densmore Mingo.
The City of Summerside's Deputy Chief of Police, Dave Griffin, who was also a member of Squad 1, agreed.
"The academy enhanced the values my parents had taught me. Ethics, high standards, and discipline were major parts of our training. When difficult situations arise, my training has certainly helped me to get through them. You cannot beat good common sense and a positive attitude to be successful in life. The Atlantic Police Academy and Holland College certainly instilled these qualities in us."
The Holland College Foundation prepared a brief history of the Atlantic Police Academy from information compiled in 2003 by Elisa Brown-Martel, then Resource Manager at the academy. The history has been dedicated to Squad 1, and each member received a copy at the reunion.
The Atlantic Police Academy was a very different place when the youngsters who formed Squad 1 first donned their uniforms in 1971. The training requirements of the law enforcement community have changed significantly over the past 35 years. The Atlantic Police Academy has consistently managed to both anticipate and respond to the needs of police services across the Atlantic region.
Just as the demands of policing have changed, so too has the technology; but the fundamental elements of Squad 1's training withstood the tests of time and technology. The pride, dedication, and comradeship instilled in that first group of cadets has helped many of them overcome personal and professional challenges over the years. Today, as then, instructors at the Atlantic Police Academy welcome raw recruits and work with them to ensure that they too embody the core values exemplified by the cadets of Squad 1.
For more information about this release, please contact: Sara Underwood, Media and Communications Officer Tel: 902-566-9695
Date: Monday, August 28, 2006
