For Moose Jaw’s Chief of Police Rick Bourassa, his job in the service is more than just a position behind a desk.
“Every day I wake up thinking about how lucky I am to be in this position. I still love it, I can't imagine doing anything else, and I still feel so fortunate that I'm here,” began Bourassa in an interview with the Moose Jaw Express.
Bourassa took the position of Chief of Police with the Moose Jaw Police Service in 2013, leaving his position as director of court security and prisoner transport with the Ministry of Justice to return to his hometown here in Moose Jaw.
“I knew that I wanted to get back into policing [when the position of chief came open]. I had also been looking at the Moose Jaw Police Service with the previous chief,” said Bourassa. “And I thought that would be a really cool police service to be involved in.”
The majority of Bourassa’s policing career prior to his position here at MJPS took place in Regina, where he served in the Regina Police Service from the age of 21. Bourassa held a number of positions with the RPS, including the principal researcher and superintendent.
He also worked with the Saskatchewan Police College in a number of roles, and has completed a Bachelor of Psychology and a Masters of Public Administration.
The many years of experience working within the policing side of the justice system certainly plays a prevalent role in Bourassa’s work as the Chief of Police, and he finds that he is able to marry his knowledge of human behaviour and public administration every day doing what he does.
Moose Jaw police Chief Rick Bourassa shakes hands with Gov. General Julie Payette during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Oct. 31, 2019, where he and 39 other police services personnel received the Order of Merit of the Police Forces medal for their service. (photo courtesy Moose Jaw Police service)A day-in-the-life of Chief Bourassa
It's nearly impossible to map out a regular day at the police chief’s desk, says Bourassa, and there is never a moment where he isn’t wearing his title.
“There's no such thing as a typical day [for me]. And it's seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” said Bourassa.
The largest part of his work actually focuses on the administration end of the service, working to keep policies updated so the service is operating in a way that is in-synch with the community, both locally and across the country.
“One thing I think would be most surprising to most people, and was surprising to me when I was younger and in the police service, is that it's not about police operations. That's a really small part of what I'm involved in,” said Bourassa.
As chief of police, he helps design the policies that govern MJPS members in their daily operations, but Bourassa himself generally doesn’t get involved in regular operations unless something serious has happened.
“Fortunately, those are seldom, they're few and far between,” said Bourassa. “I'm aware and I'm informed, but people [in the service] make good decisions and I let them make those decisions.”
As chief, he handles disciplinary actions that require his attention and reviews all complaints against service members, but the majority of operations are managed by a senior team of officers.
Bourassa is also responsible for engaging MJPS personnel and he has made it a personal focus to create a representative workforce that provides new perspectives.
For the most part, Bourassa is busy with the inner workings of the organization, so to speak. He spends a lot of time maintaining a myriad of network connections locally, provincially, and nationally.
His priority, as chief, is working on maintaining the trust and confidence of the people in the community, through both policy and community engagement.
“One of the ways [we do that] is making sure that all of our operations, processes and our policies are built around maintaining people's freedoms, and doing not only the right things but doing them the right way,” said Bourassa. “That’s what frames what I do.”
Bourassa works with numerous community voices on the local level, serving on the community-based coalition, the Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee, and the Wakamow Aboriginal Community Association, to name just a few.
“There's only about a quarter of what we do that actually has to do with policing. All of the other pieces are parts of community well-being,” said Bourassa.
He takes part in all strategic planning alongside the MJPS Board of Commissioners, to determine the appropriate budget and future plan to stay “ahead of the curve” in terms of policing needs within the community.
He also serves as the liaison with the provincial Ministry of Justice, to monitor the funding provided for the Combined Traffic Services officers at MJPS and the Police and Crisis Teams (PACT).
On a provincial level, Bourassa works closely with the Saskatchewan Police College, offering input for training program development and even providing his own services during training programs. He stays in contact with other police services, as a member of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, and is the committee chair for the Criminal Intelligence Service Saskatchewan.
He also serves as an executive member of the University of Regina Senate, as both an alumni and representative from the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police.
Nationally, Bourassa works with the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada on the executive committee and is also the chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Victims of Crime Committee.
“That's part of my job as well, is connecting with other bodies and other police services and chiefs across not only the province but across the country, so we can support each other and reach out all the time,” said Bourassa.
Police Chief Rick Bourassa (L) and Coun. Heather Eby (R) presented A.E. Peacock's Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) chapter with the Community Safety award at the 2019 MJPS annual service awards. (photo by Jason G. Antonio)Being the chief: a perspective
Bourassa’s role makes him responsible for both the short-term and long-term strategies implemented within the MJPS. Every task that crosses his desk is looked at with the service’s values in mind, and Bourassa takes his role as a public servant very seriously.
“As it was explained to me when I was a younger cop moving up the ranks, when you become a chief member, you become public property,” said Bourassa. “And that was bang on, and it’s important.”
Among all of the committee responsibilities and meetings, Bourassa operates with an open-door policy at the station and spends his weekends and evenings attending community events when he can.
“I have a very open-door policy because it's important. People need to talk to me and see me, and I mean not only people in our community but [MJPS] members as well,” said Bourassa. “Being seen in the organization is as important as being seen in the community, so I spend a lot of time doing that.”
Bourassa is happy to put in the hours, he says, because it’s what the job requires and he is dedicated. He has to stay up-to-date and ready for anything that hits his desk during the day.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of how quickly and thoroughly Bourassa has to work to keep the MJPS operating safely and effectively in the community, by revising the operations policy to protect both civilians and officers.
One of the most satisfying aspects of his role is the opportunity to recognize community achievements and works at local events, said Bourassa, and to host the MJPS annual service awards ceremony to recognize both community and MJPS members for their contributions to community well-being.
“To be able to participate in that, to recognize people every year, that will always be a highlight for me,” said Bourassa.
Travelling to Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ont. to meet the Governor-General on two separate occasions — one of which was to receive the Order of Merit of the Police Forces in 2019 from Governor General Julie Payette — were also highlights that came to mind for Bourassa.
It was an honour to receive the Order of Merit, he said, but felt it was more a testament to both the police service and the community’s dedication to bettering Moose Jaw.
“That's what I love to see, [and] to be able to work with people who are just outstanding in their fields,” he continued. “Seeing how committed everybody, not only here but provincially and nationally, is to really continuing to make our city, our province, our country into better places.”
