MONCTON -- The number of people signing up to become police officers in our region hasn’t dropped, despite the obvious dangers of the job such as the Moncton shootings in June.
Justin Bourque, 24, fatally shot three RCMP officers and wounded two others on June 4. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in their deaths.
Some members of the newest group of policing cadets at Oulton College in Moncton say the shooting has reinforced their decision to pursue law enforcement.
“As police officers and correctional officers we prepare, you always know going out into the workforce that something may happen any day, so you have to be mentally prepared for it,” says policing cadet Sean Glynn.
“It didn’t make me second guess, but it made me think more about it and realize that there are things that do happen like that around the world,” adds fellow cadet, Nathaniel Richards.
Hundreds of applications still come in each year for the course, making for stiff competition.
“It’s certainly one of our largest and most popular programs,” say Robb Parker, admissions director for the college.
Currently, there are about 80 cadets in the policing program who can go on to become prison guards, military police, or members of the RCMP.
“I wanted to get into policing because I felt like I needed a higher purpose,” adds Richards.
The students say they will be paying close attention when a New Brunswick judge sentences Bourque this Friday. Bourque faces a mandatory life sentence with no parole eligibility for 25 years, but the Crown wants that extended to 75 years. The defence says Bourque should not be eligible for parole for 50 years.
With files from CTV'S Jonathan MacInnis.
