With hiring still underway for early 2017, Oak Bay Police Department filled a pair of voids with new experienced officers last week.
Two members left in 2016 and a third hole is expected due to a new secondment (officer assigned) to the expanded Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
Two new officers were sworn in at the Monterey Avenue station last week, Const. Sandrine Perry and Const. Benoit Lanthier.
“When we went through our hiring process we had a strong emphasis on community policing skills and ability, that ability to connect with people,” said Chief Const. Andy Brinton. “We look for people with those qualities, which both these members, we’re confident that’s the place they come from.
Lanthier has seven years of police experience, all with the Nanaimo RCMP where he worked in Patrol Division and Traffic Services.
Lanthier applied with the Oak Bay Police Department because he feels that his style of policing is consistent with the type of policing Oak Bay police are committed to providing the community they serve. Lanthier is also bilingual, fluent in both French and English. He and his wife Jill have a 21-month-old son.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the community … to keeping Oak Bay a safe community,” Lanthier said once sworn.
Perry comes from New Westminster Police Department where she served for eight years, including time with the Patrol Division, Street Crime Unit and the Criminal Intelligence Section. She is married to Jason, a paramedic on Vancouver Island, and has three children aged 3, 14 and 16.
Perry is passionate about her health and enjoys spending quality time with her family. She is excited about the opportunity to practise her community policing skills and looks forward to working in a community where problems can be solved collaboratively.
“They’re coming with a good level of experience but we can expect they’ll provide a service here for a number of years,” Brinton said.
OBPD expects to make a third hire in the new year.