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About the Service Women in Policing

Biographies

Constable Nicole Sabourin-Friesen

Constable Nicole Sabourin-Friesen As a paramilitary organization, according to the Winnipeg Police Service, my rank is Constable, my badge number is 1797 and I am currently assigned to the Community Services Division as a Crime Prevention Officer.

It was just over 11 years ago that I stood in the academy along with 23 other candidates selected to be there. It had been a rewarding journey, one that started long before that day. As I looked around the room, I could see people from all walks of life; some young, some old, and as a twenty eight year old married mother with two small children, I wondered how I fit in.

Growing up in Winnipeg, I had not had a lot of contact with the police, and in fact, had never seen a female officer. I had my own ideas about how tall, or what kind of personality a female officer should have. Then one evening while attending a social function, I was introduced to one. I couldn't help but think, that she was not what I had envisioned and I realized that I too could pursue a career in policing if I wanted to.

As I began the journey of researching the duties, and responsibilities of policing, I realized that this was the career path I wanted to take. There were plenty of challenges along the way, especially with two small children but with the support of my husband and family, it became possible.

Many years have already passed and I have been very fortunate in the assignments that I have had. Spending the first 4 1/2 years in General Patrol in the downtown area provided a wealth of experience which helped with my assignment as an Investigator in the Domestic Violence Unit. From there, I was transferred to the Youth Division into a plain clothes position, spending my final year there in the Child Abuse Unit. As a position came available in the Community Services Division, it had been a number of years since I had been in General Patrol, but I realized that general patrol would always be there, and that an assignment to a specialty unit was something not everyone would have the opportunity to experience.

In 1998, I was assigned to the Crime Prevention Unit in the Community Services Division and was one of two officers overseeing the Neighbourhood Watch Program in Winnipeg. In this position, public speaking became second nature and dealing with the public in a pro-active way was very gratifying.

During the Pan American Games in 1999 while still assigned to the Community Services Division, I was temporarily assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit, and although that assignment was short, it is one I will never forget.

Since the fall of 2001, my assignment has been to promote, oversee and train people in the business community on a variety of business related and crime prevention topics. This is an area I feel very comfortable in, due to having spent 9 years in the business community prior to becoming a Police Officer.

Even with the number of areas in policing I have already had the opportunity to experience, there are still so many others of interest. I can only hope that in the remaining years prior to retirement, I will be fortunate enough to do so.

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