The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) held its police studies graduation parade and swearing-in ceremony in St. John’s, Newfoundland on August 27. Const. Neil Penney was presented with the Lieutenant Governor’s 2011 Cadet of the Year Award by the Lieutenant Governor John Crosbie, who is also RNC honorary chief.The award was established in 2008 by former Lieutenant Government Ed Roberts, who was also the force’s honorary chair.Selected by the RNC training section, the award is based on an overall assessment of each cadet during the entire program. The winner is the cadet who excelled in all aspects of the police studies diploma program and consistently demonstrated the desired competencies. Cst. Penney holds a bachelor of science (Honours) degree from Memorial University, with a major in psychology, and a certificate in criminology. Penney made history earlier this year when he became the first RNC cadet/Memorial University student to be awarded a legal research award by the Law Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.Penney received the award for his paper “Undergraduate attitudes toward differing justice models and perceptions of rehabilitative principles. Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court registrar Chris Curran described the paper as “an exceptional piece of work for an undergraduate.”The constabulary partners with Memorial to train police officers. Since 2004, 179 officer, have successfully completed the police studies program. Forty-two per cent of the graduates are female. Chief Robert Johnston feels the changing gender balance has made the RNC more representative of the communities it polices. “This year’s graduating cadets will join the over 500 police and civilian employees who continue to strive towards the RNC vision, to achieve safer communities through policing excellence,” Johnston said.
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