One day, Tom Barry was tracking down suspects in home break-ins. The next, his career and identity as a police officer were over, well before he was ready.
B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 wrap my head around leaving. I started when I was 20. Basically, itB次元官网网址檚 your whole life B次元官网网址� the people you work with are your extended family. ItB次元官网网址檚 hard to think, B次元官网网址榞ee, this whole thing is going to be over.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Barry served more than 39 years as a police officer, first with the RCMP, then EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 former department and finally as the last officer to hold a corporalB次元官网网址檚 rank with Victoria police. As his 60th birthday approached, that clause in every municipal officerB次元官网网址檚 contract came calling: It was time to retire.
Barry was worried. B次元官网网址淵ou really think, B次元官网网址榃ell, what am I going to do?B次元官网网址� (Policing) is such a big part of your life. Knowing it was going to end was a big deal.B次元官网网址�
Little research has been done to explore the effect retirement has on Canadian police officers B次元官网网址� the latest is from the 1970s. But this spring, VicPDB次元官网网址檚 head of human resources, Insp. Les Sylven, completed a report on just such a topic. It will make VicPD one of the few police agencies in Canada to implement a project that prepares officers for retirement before their last day and follows up with them after (such programs are popular in the United States and United Kingdom).
B次元官网网址淚 found nothing in researching Canadian police departments for pre-retirement programs, so (this is) kind of new,B次元官网网址� said Sylven, who worked with Royal Roads University to survey retired and soon-to-be retiring VicPD officers for the report. B次元官网网址淎nd I looked at this big bulge thatB次元官网网址檚 coming and was thinking, B次元官网网址極K nowB次元官网网址檚 the time to act.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
That B次元官网网址渂ulgeB次元官网网址� is the expected retirement of 70 VicPD officers within five years (2015-20). With nearly one-third of the 243-member department projected to leave at that time, B次元官网网址渢hat presents considerable challenges for us to recruit that number of officers B次元官网网址� and also the leadership vacuum that creates, because those are all our senior officers.B次元官网网址�
Up to this point, VicPD, like many other police departments, have focused on educating their soon-to-retire officers on post-career finances. The psychological effects of retirement also need to also be addressed, said Sgt. Bill Trudeau, vice-president of the Victoria police union.
B次元官网网址淟es has taken this a lot further now,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 offering people other things, transitional things, which you should be ready for when you leave and the opportunities that are waiting for you out there.B次元官网网址�
Police agencies work hard to ingrain the police identity in officers throughout their careers, Trudeau said. B次元官网网址淭hen suddenly, guess what? YouB次元官网网址檙e not a cop anymore. Your identityB次元官网网址檚 gone. The police department says, you know, thanks for the 30 years. Take it easy.B次元官网网址�
Easing into retirement with part-time work as an officer isnB次元官网网址檛 an option either, Sylven said. That can make retirement jarring for officers.
B次元官网网址淛ust like policing is a career that is very different from many other, retiring from policing is very different, too, because of the abruptness. You could be putting the handcuffs on somebody Friday afternoon and Saturday youB次元官网网址檙e retired. YouB次元官网网址檙e a civilian.B次元官网网址�
He clarified some officers donB次元官网网址檛 struggle with retirement. After decades in a high-stress job with irregular shift work, some canB次元官网网址檛 wait to hand in their badges. But the anxieties many face prompted Sylven to implement the new program.
This fall, VicPD will start sessions with its near-retirees to help explain the transition from policing to retirement. The program will point out work and volunteer options for ex-cops (many go on to work in security or become government investigators). It will explain that retirement can cause a major strain on marriages and can be the end of close relationships with still-serving officers. And it will help thank the officers for their work, Sylven said.
B次元官网网址淲e can repay that debt by helping them make that transition.B次元官网网址�
Six months after his last shift, Barry said heB次元官网网址檚 made that transition, though it wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy to slow down his pace.
B次元官网网址淚 kind of struggled with it a bit. Most policemen are A-type personalities; they want to get things done.B次元官网网址�
He added a program like the one Sylven is developing would have been a huge help to him.
B次元官网网址淎ll they do is set up financial courses or seminars. Well, thatB次元官网网址檚 fine and dandy, but the mental issues of what have to deal with, thereB次元官网网址檚 absolutely nothing on that.B次元官网网址�
Barry has his plate full now. He stays busy working out, walking the dog with his wife, biking and volunteering with the Cops for CancerB次元官网网址檚 Tour de Rock, working with the Capital Regional DistrictB次元官网网址檚 bylaw enforcement B次元官网网址� and caring for his new granddaughter.
ecardone@vicnews.com
