For the past 15 years, SLC students in the Police Foundations program (PFP) have shown support for participants in the National Peace Officers' Memorial Run, an annual run that starts in Queen’s Park in Toronto and ends at the National Memorial for Fallen Peace Officers in Ottawa. As they’ve done in years past, SLC PFP students greeted runners as they entered Kingston and ran alongside them as they made their way through the city on Friday, September 23.
“This has always been a great way for our College to support our community partners and pay respect to the service and sacrifice they have given,” explained Randy Zabukovec, Professor and Program Coordinator, Police Foundations at SLC’s Kingston campus. “For the past several years, PFP partial load Professor Ron Leyenhorst has been instrumental in motivating and encouraging our students to attend. Ron is a retired Kingston Police Constable who served our community for 32 years and has taught in the PFP program at the College for over 12 years.”
“The sense of community and unity that flowed throughout this run was overall breathtaking. Participants of the run were escorted by community volunteers and patrol vehicles which parted traffic in the streets and allowed for a smooth and unified run. As we ran together, we received community support from bystanders cheering on all the runners,” said Alix Stymest, a second-year PFP student. “My classmates and I joined this run to support all fallen officers, however, I did have my own personal reasons that encouraged me to do the run as well. I ran for my uncle, Brent Griffiths. Brent was a Kingston Police Officer hired late 2001, who passed away in 2016 due to cancer. My Uncle Brent had a passion for policing and helping his community and if he were here today, he would have been running right by my side.”
The National Peace Officers’ Memorial Run was established in 2005 when the Peel Regional Police running team, The Pacers, decided to raise awareness of the annual Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service held annually on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The running team wanted to create a way of raising awareness of the annual service and at the same time pay tribute to those officers who had so valiantly given their lives in service of their Community and Country (source).
SLC Career Services event: OPP Recruiting Drive
In partnership with the OPP, SLC Career Services is holding an information session for interested individuals to learn more about civilian positions and working as a Constable for the OPP.
Date: Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Time: 11:30am - 1:00pm
Location: Room 00320, SLC Kingston Campus
RSVP on UR SLC
For more information, contact CareerServices@sl.on.ca