MOOSE JAW — In a time when relations between police officers and the communities they serve are often called into question or fraught with suspicion, Moose Jaw’s chief of police, Rick Bourassa, shared a few thoughts on the collaboration between law enforcement and the citizens they serve following this year’s annual police awards ceremony.
The awards ceremony, held May 29 at the Moose Jaw Public Library’s theatre, celebrated not only exemplary police officers and members of the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) but was also dedicated to outstanding members of the community who made noteworthy contributions that made the city a better place to live.
“This is one of my favourite days of the year,” Bourassa said. “It’s the time we have to recognize people… who make life better for the community. We don’t get a lot of opportunities to do that.”
Bourassa said policing isn’t just about enforcing laws, but also takes a wider participation with the community to work properly.
“Policing is about all of us working together as a community to get at the issues that are causing disruptions in our community,” he explained.
Bourassa said many of those issues stem from socio-economic conditions and mental wellness issues, and the job of policing the community also involves a “wide diversity of agencies” who come together to improve the community overall. These agencies, he continued, deserve the recognition afforded by events such as the awards ceremony.
The earlier awards ceremony recognized 37 individuals and one organization for deeds ranging from the removal of $400,000 worth of fentanyl from Moose Jaw’s streets to one woman who saved the life of a suicidal individual earlier in 2023.
The police service, Bourassa said, is simply one part of an overall thriving community.
“We are one part of the community, and we can deal with some things, but we need to be working together with everybody to get to so many of the issues that are complex (in nature).”
He said the service focuses about one quarter of its efforts on law enforcement, and the other 75 per cent “is related to issues that are causing disruption… (where often) people are struggling to grip and they need supports.
“And very often we’re the first line of support, but we don’t have the expertise or the resources,” he continued, underscoring the significance of working hand-in-hand with community partners who specialize in providing these supports.
Bourassa described Moose Jaw’s police officers as “amazing” and said the awards ceremony offered the chance to recognize their calling and dedication which continues to keep him amazed. He also pointed out that this investment in helping others often takes a heavy toll.
“That’s why it was so nice to have (some) focus on the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT)… because they’re in the background providing those supports not only to our police officers, but to other emergency services personnel who are out working to make our communities a better place.”
CIPSRT was founded in 2018 to serve as a knowledge hub and works with public safety leaders to advise on mental health best practices based on updated research knowledge.
“Nobody that got recognized (at the ceremony) did what they did for the recognition,” Bourassa said. “They did what they did because it was the right thing to do.”
He described the recognition provided by the awards ceremony as simply “an important addition” to that community-minded spirit.
“Sometimes,” he said, “people work so hard in the community, and I think the question can come up in some people’s minds, ‘Does it really matter?’
“Sometimes we just need to publicly say that ‘Yeah, you are making a difference, and we recognize that it’s important,’” he concluded.
