Features Editor’s Commentary Opinion
Collaboration on the careers front

Peel Regional Police is joining Halton Regional Police Service’s Public Safety Broadband Network (a high-speed wireless data communications network for emergency responders and public safety personnel to communicate with each other during both emergency situations and day-to-day operations).

Similarly, Motorola Solutions started off 2019 with the Critical Connect announcement. This is a solution where public safety agencies from different areas have the ability to connect to each other “in minutes, regardless if it is two or 20 agencies at once.” They can communicate via voice across their LMR systems or via broadband push-to-talk services.

The Canadian Police Knowledge Network and Toronto Police Service have developed a course in collaboration with community groups on how to communicate with those with autism.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is using a new dispatch system that can integrate with its partners for incident management across jurisdictions, including Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, and Peel Regional Police.

And here at Annex Business Media, too, we’re busy buzzing with alliance conversations… largely our new, multifaceted career expo. The Security • Police • Fire Career Expo & Job Fair is happening on March 7 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont. Mark your calendars!

It brings together three separate fields for one full day of networking, education and first-hand advice. Students and anyone interested in starting a career (or transitioning to a new one) in policing, fire or security are encouraged to attend.

Carmela Demkiw, senior director of security services for Rogers Communications, is the expo’s keynote. She is also a former police detective.

Additionally, around 25 experienced mentors from the law enforcement, security and fire worlds will be running roundtables, answering questions from attendees about how to get hired, what the industry is looking for, etc. You’ll find the president of the Ontario Special Constable Association and the deputy superintendent of administration at the Ontario Correctional Institute on hand, as well as senior level officers from Hamilton Police Service, Barrie Police Service and Toronto Police Service’s Computer Cyber Crime section of Intelligence Services.

Presented by Blue Line, Canadian Security and Fire Fighting in Canada magazines, this is the place to find more information, whether launching your career or changing to something fresh.

As the interviewee for the first episode of Blue Line, The Podcast, Mick Creedon, said: policing isn’t just policing anymore after all:

“Gradually we have recognized the value of partnerships,” said Creedon, the former chief constable in Derbyshire, England. “And there’s not just law enforcement partnerships; there’s the health sector, education, social care, and then you move beyond that into the business sector. All of which is great. From here, you can start bringing in intelligence from the whole range of partners you have.”

Popping silo bubbles and working together towards a common goal — that’s how we reap all the more success in proactively keeping the public safe, especially as our world becomes increasingly complex.

So why not have fire, police and security hopefuls and mentors all in one room to dialogue and learn from each other? I think some magic just might sprout in such a space in 2019.

Register now and find out more at www.emergencyservicesexpo.ca.