Feature Article September 5, 2001
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Sharbot Lake High School grad joins the OPPby David BrisonIaian MacKinnon finished a five-month stint as an OPP cadet in the Sharbot Lake OPP detachment on Friday, and starts training at the OPP police academy in Aylmer on Tuesday. He already knows that his first assignment will be in Killaloe Station, northwest of Renfrew on the edge of Algonquin Park.
Iaian, 25, grew up in a police family. His father Bruce is now a Detective Inspector in the OPP Eastern Ontario office. Brother Jeff is also a member of the OPP. The family settled in Sharbot Lake the year Iaian entered Grade 9, when Bruce was assigned to Sharbot Lake OPP.
However, Iaian wasnt one of those kids who decided early what he wanted to do in life, although it didnt take long for him to decide that police work was what he wanted. He attended Queens for three years (first in engineering, then biology) and then realized that a policing career was a good match with his interests. When this realization hit home, he transferred from Queens to a police foundations program at St. Lawrence in Kingston.
I enjoy working with people, and community is important to me. Police work is the epitome of a community-based career, Iaian said. Every day is different and that also appeals to me.
The OPP Cadet Program was started in 1998 after a two-year pilot project. Cadets first have to pass through a rigorous selection program, and then are assigned to a local detachment. The work they do in the detachment is largely administrative; for example, assisting with computer programs, typing of reports, criminal checks, and helping with stolen property audits. They also get some operational police experience though going out with officers on the regular beat.
Recruiting officer Sandy Thomas, based at OPP headquarters in Orrilla, explained the concept behind what she regards as a very successful program, It is an ideal program for young people. It gives them a chance to get their feet wet and find out if this is really what they want to do. The program is much valued by local detachments because they get some help with office work.
Officer Thomas went on to explain, This is only one route to getting into the OPP, but it is one that is increasingly being used by young people in the new academy that Iaian is entering, 21 of the 74 trainees come from the Cadet program.
Iaian had good things to say about the program, I have learned a lot about the administrative side of police work, and this will help me on my first assignment. I can see that it would be hard to learn about the kinds of forms that are used for reports and other administrative tasks when you were just learning the operational side of police work in a community. I now have a good idea of what is involved in that important side of the work.
Iaian also spent about 50% of his time on the road with constables while he was at the Sharbot Lake detachment. He assisted them by doing some tasks, such as directing traffic, that freed up their time so that they could do basic investigating of complaints and incidents.
Iaian had another experience that will assist him when he starts police work for two summers he was a Park Coordinator at the Sharbot Lake and Silver Lake provincial parks. In that role, he served as a provincial offences officer with much of the same authority as a regular peace office although limited to the parks. He investigated and had to handle complaints such as noise after hours, illegal fires, and cutting of trees.
It would seem that this young man has gained a leg up though his family, the cadet program, and his experience as a park coordinator. When he finishes training, he will be ready to get going on the job.
