Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

UNIFORM HAT

Date

2020

Materials

ACRYLIC

No. Pieces

1

Length

22.2

Width

20

Description

BLACK ACRYLIC KNIT TOQUE (SP08 STYLE) WITH “LETHBRIDGE WATCH” EMBROIDERED IN RED THREAD ON THE FRONT. THE TAG ON THE INSIDE READS “100% ACRYLIC MADE IN VIETNAM”. THERE IS SOME PILLING OF THE FABRIC AND THE HAT IS SLIGHTLY WORN, BUT IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.

Subjects

CLOTHING-HEADWEAR

Historical Association

PROFESSIONS

SAFETY SERVICES

History

ON JANUARY 30TH, 2020 COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN MET WITH AUTUMN JERRY, A TEAM LEAD FOR ‘THE WATCH’ IN LETHBRIDGE. AUTUMN DONATED TWO ARTICLES OF CLOTHING FROM HER UNIFORM, A SHIRT AND A CAP, TO THE MUSEUM. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS DERIVED FROM THEIR INTERVIEW. AUTUMN EXPLAINED THE PURPOSE OF THE WATCH: “THE WATCH’S MISSION IS TO MAKE IT A SAFE PLACE TO PLAY, SHOP AND STAY.” “…WE ARE NOT HANDS ON, WE’RE HANDS OFF. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHETHER IT’S SMALL THINGS LIKE HELPING THEM WITH THE PARKING METERS, GIVING THEM DIRECTIONS…CALLING PEOPLE CABS, GETTING ARCHES TO PICK UP NEEDLES OR DRUGS PARAPHERNALIA… WE WERE TRAINED HOW TO USE THE NARCAN SPRAY, NASAL SPRAY. SO WE HAVE HAD TIMES WHERE WE HELPED WITH OVERDOSES…” “DEPENDING ON THE VOLUNTEERS, WE TRY TO HAVE TWO TEAMS OUT. THERE’S TWO ZONES. ONE IS BASICALLY WHERE THE [SAFE CONSUMPTION SITE] IS, AND THEN THE DOWNTOWN… WE TRY TO HAVE PEOPLE ALWAYS IN THE AREAS. IF NOT, WE’LL MAKE THE ONE GROUP THAT IS OUT DO THE WHOLE AREA AND MAKE SURE EVERY AREA IS GETTING COVERED.” AUTUMN PROVIDED THE BACKSTORY BEHIND HER UNIFORM: “IT WAS DEFINITELY THE END OF APRIL 2019 [THAT WE RECEIVED THE CLOTHING].” “FROM THE START OF THE PROGRAM THESE WERE GIVEN TO US AS UNIFORMS FROM OUR MANAGER… EACH TEAM LEAD WAS GIVEN A SPECIFIC SHIRT BECAUSE…IT DOES HAVE THE TEAM LEAD PART ENGRAVED ON IT.” “[WE WERE ISSUED THE CLOTHING]…ON OUR LAST DAY OF TRAINING I BELIEVE. WE WERE AT THE POLICE STATION. WE WERE GETTING OUR GROUP PHOTO TAKEN AFTER OUR WEEK OF TRAINING THAT WE HAD…SO THEY WERE GIVEN TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE WATCH AND THEN WE TOOK OUR GROUP PHOTO…” AUTUMN SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THE UNIFORM SYMBOLIZED FOR HER: “[WHEN I RECEIVED THE UNIFORM] I FELT REALLY CONFIDENT… I FELT LIKE I WAS JOINING SOMETHING, THAT…IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM AND I FELT I NEEDED TO BE VERY CONFIDENT OF WHAT I WAS DOING. I FELT LIKE I WAS BECOMING PART OF THE COMMUNITY MORE SO, AND JUST BEING ACCEPTED INTO…THE LETHBRIDGE POLICE.” TEAM MEMBERS WERE GIVEN NEW SHIRTS, WHICH REPLACED THE SHIRT DONATED TO THE MUSEUM: “…FOR THE SHIRT PERSONALLY I REMEMBER GETTING IT AND THINKING THIS IS THE...GREATEST THING AND THEN OUR WATCH MANAGER…[SAID] ‘OH WE HAVE FEMALE SHIRTS NOW’ AND [I THOUGHT…’WELL, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THESE ONES?’ BUT I LOOK BACK AND…I JUST REMEMBER THAT MOSTLY WAS THE TRANSITION… THIS WAS A MALE SHIRT SO THE TRANSITION FROM MALE SHIRT TO THE FEMALE SHIRT AND... [I THOUGHT] WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE… WE’D ALWAYS LAUGH AT THE FEMALE SHIRTS AND THE JOKES THAT WE ALL MADE… I THINK THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS I’LL REMEMBER ABOUT THE MALE SHIRTS WAS THE LAUGHS WE HAD ABOUT CHANGING AND ALL THAT… WHEN I WEAR IT NOW, IT’S SO BIG.” “…THIS WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST SHIRTS THAT WERE GIVEN OUT IN THE WATCH, AND PART OF IT IS THAT’S THE VERY FIRST SHIRT I GOT IN THE WATCH BUT I THINK I’LL BE HERE FOR A WHILE AND…IT’S FINE [GIVING UP THE SHIRT TO DONATE TO THE MUSEUM].” AUTUMN COMMENTED ON THE PROCESS OF GETTING HIRED ONTO THE WATCH:“THIRTY-FOUR PEOPLE [WERE GRADUATING FROM THE PROGRAM].” “…[APPLYING TO BE THE] THE TEAM LEAD…YOU DO YOUR DISCLOSURE FORM, AND I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING EVERYBODY AT THE POLICE SERVICE HAS TO DO…” “IT’S BASICALLY…QUESTIONS ABOUT…YOUR…PERSONAL LIFE…[AND] THINGS YOU’VE DONE IN THE PAST. YOU JUST HAVE TO BE OPEN ABOUT IT. THEY’LL ASK YOU QUESTIONS LIKE – IF YOU’VE EVER DID THIS BEFORE, IF YOU’VE EVER DID THAT, IF SO, EXPLAIN, GIVE YOUR REASON… IT’S JUST BE OPENLY HONEST AND I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING THEY USE TO SEE…THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THEY WANT TO HIRE AND…IF YOU’RE CHANGING…” “…EVENTUALLY THEY’LL CALL YOU BACK FOR AN INTERVIEW… IN THE INTERVIEW…THEY QUESTION YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT POLICE SERVICE. THEY’LL TALK ABOUT…YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, HOW YOU’VE SHOWN LEADERSHIP, IF YOU WORK IN TEAMS…AND…‘WHY WOULD YOU BE A GREAT FIT FOR IT?’… THEN EVENTUALLY…DEPENDING ON YOUR INTERVIEW, YOU’LL GET HIRED… THEN YOU START YOUR TRAINING PROCESS; AND WITH THE WATCH, IT’S ALWAYS AN ONGOING TRAINING. I BELIEVE WE DO MONTHLY TRAININGS ALL THE TIME EVEN IF IT’S JUST REFRESHERS.” AUTUMN ELABORATED ON WHAT MOTIVATED HER TO APPLY FOR THE WATCH: “I AM CURRENTLY STILL AT LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM.” “WHEN I SPOKE WITH MIKE, HE TOLD ME…THE BASICS OF WHAT [THE WATCH] WAS AND WHEN WE GOT MORE IN DEPTH HE SAID THAT…IF…POLICING…IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BE IN, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT STEPPING STONE. AND I’VE LIVED IN LETHBRIDGE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS BEFORE KNOWING THE WATCH, SO IF IT WASN’T FOR THIS, I WOULDN’T REALLY HAVE BEEN PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I WOULD HAVE JUST…HUNG OUT AT THE COLLEGE OR WITH MY FRIENDS BUT…THIS GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO…OPEN UP AND BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND GET TO KNOW PEOPLE AND LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES…” “SHANE KASINDER HAS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAT HE HAS RAN FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE THE WATCH, SO THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MAYBE THE ONLY OPTION I WOULD HAVE HAD FOR…A STEPPING STONE FOR POLICING IN LETHBRIDGE.” AUTUMN HEARD ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH 'COMMUNITY FUTURES': “I WAS HIRED THROUGH THE 'COMMUNITY FUTURES' PROGRAM FOR ABORIGINAL SUMMER STUDENTS. SO THERE I GOT MEET WITH MIKE WILLIAMSON. THE COMMUNITY FUTURES HAS BEEN PART OF LPS FOR THE LONGEST TIME. LES VOLKMANN…WAS HIRED ON WITH COMMUNITY FUTURES, SO IT’S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY’VE ALWAYS HAD CONNECTIONS WITH LPS SO WHEN THE PROGRAM FIRST STARTED WITH THE WATCH, MIKE DEFINITELY JUMPED ABOARD TO BE PART OF COMMUNITY FUTURES. SO THAT’S HOW I GOT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM.” “I HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO WORKED WITH…[COMMUNITY FUTURES] AND THEY ALWAYS REACH OUT TO A BUNCH OF THE COLLEGES. THEY DO…JOBS SYMPOSIUMS…BUT THEY’VE ALWAYS REACHED OUT…[THORUGH] EMAILS TO ALL THE COLLEGE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY POST-SECONDARY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THAT’S HOW I’VE ALWAYS LEARNED ABOUT IT. THEY’VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IT IN HIGH SCHOOL TOO, THEY’D LET THE TEACHERS KNOW THAT…COMMUNITY FUTURES IS ONE WAY YOU CAN FIND SUMMER EMPLOYMENT, BUT I BELIEVE THEY...FOCUS ON COLLEGE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY FIND CAREERS IN…[THEIR FIELD]…” AUTUMN TALKED ABOUT HER ASPIRATIONS TO START A POLICING CAREER: “MY GRANDFATHER WAS AN RCMP OFFICER FOR THE GLEICHEN DETACHMENT… GROWING UP HE…[HAS] ALWAYS TOLD US STORIES, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN AROUND THE RETIRED POLICE DOG, SO THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND IT WAS…A BOND THAT ONLY US TWO HAD, AND WE STILL ONLY HAVE…ONLY US TWO HAVE THAT BOND TODAY. THERE ARE…A FEW OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO TRY POLICING BUT THEY’RE NOT AS PASSIONATE. THEY DON’T WANT TO REALLY GO TO SCHOOL. IT’S KIND OF LIKE THEIR LAST MINUTE OPTION, BUT FOR ME, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN…ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES; AND IF IT DOESN’T WORK OUT THEN I’LL STILL FIND A WAY TO BE A PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY…FROM THE BEGINNING ONE OF MY TOP CHOICES TO FOLLOW A CAREER IN POLICING.” AUTUMN OUTLINED FUTURE GOALS SHE IS WORKING TO ACHIEVE: “THE GOAL IS DEFINITELY POLICING, I DO BELIEVE, BECAUSE I AM SO YOUNG THAT I WANT TO GET EXPERIENCE AS MUCH AS I CAN…FINDING SMALLER JOBS THAT WERE PUBLIC SAFETY. ONE THING THAT I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING BEFORE APPLYING TO ANY AGENCY WAS TO TRY OUT DISPATCH. I REMEMBER VISITING THE ONE IN CALGARY AND THINKING THAT WAS SO COOL. WE HAD ‘SIT-ALONGS’ WITH DISPATCH A FEW MONTHS AGO, ONE IN DECEMBER AND EVEN THAT WAS REALLY A FUN EXPERIENCE… THEY HAVE THE BEST VIBES AND EVERYONE WAS SO SUPPORTIVE AND SO THAT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I WANTED TO TRY TO GET INTO, BUT POLICING FOR SURE MAYBE…IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS IS THE PLAN.” AUTUMN REVEALED WHAT TRAITS MAKE HER SUITABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK: “I THINK…[MY STRENGTH IS] JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TREATING THEM LIKE THEY ARE PEOPLE… SOME KIND OF LET STEREOTYPES AND THINGS LIKE THAT GET TO THEIR HEAD. I HAVE DEFINITELY RUN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE THOUGHT BECAUSE I’M FIRST NATIONS THAT I’M THIS AND I’M THAT, BUT…YOU TALK WITH THEM AND THEN YOU COMPLETELY CHANGE THEIR MINDSET AND IT’S GOOD TO KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS THE SAME… WHEN…YOU BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS…ONCE THEY GET TO KNOW YOU THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND, AND I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING.” AUTUMN WENT THROUGH A TRAINING PROGRAM TO PREPARE HER FOR HER WORK: “I THINK I DEFINITELY LEARNED MORE PUTTING IT FACE-TO-FACE RATHER THAN IN BOOKS OR IN SCHOOL. SCHOOL DEFINITELY HELPED…IF YOU’RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UPSET…YOU LEARN THOSE DE-ESCALATION SKILLS, BUT I THINK IT IS MORE SO HAVING THAT ONE-ON-ONE WITH PEOPLE AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM THAT ACTUALLY HELPS A LOT MORE. SO YOU BUILD A LOT OF TRUST IN RELATIONSHIPS OUT HERE… YOU CAN BE BOOK SMART AND EVERYTHING BUT…IT TAKES…A LOT OF EMPATHY…TO BUILD A RAPPORT WITH PEOPLE…” “…THEY DID SOME MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING JUST BASICS OF…WHAT YOU SEE, OR HOW PEOPLE ARE TALKING. BEING AWARE… THEN THEY DO…THE TYPES OF DRUGS THAT THEY’RE HAVING ISSUES WITH TODAY, NOT SO MUCH YEARS AGO. THEY DO RADIO PROTOCOL BECAUSE WE’RE DIRECTLY WITH DISPATCH, SO…WHAT TO SAY AND HOW YOU LOG ON… WE’VE ALSO HAD FIRST AID TRAINING… BUT THERE WAS A FEW PEOPLE [WHO] CAME IN TO TALK WITH US, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF…CITY WORKERS TOO, THAT ARE JUST EXCITED TO SEE THE PROGRAM GET GOING.” “[I LEARNT ABOUT] THE SERVICES… I’VE NEVER KNOWN WE’VE HAD THE DIVERSION OUTREACH TEAM OR ARCHES. IT WAS…THESE LITTLE BUSINESSES THAT I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT…SO NOW WHEN YOU SPEAK TO PEOPLE YOU CAN REFER THEM OR TELL THEM ABOUT IT. IT WAS MORE SO THAT THAN THE…DE-ESCALATION I’VE LEARNED IN SCHOOL, AND WE’VE LEARNED THAT ALSO IN TRAINING BUT…I WOULD SAY MORE SO IT WAS JUST WHAT LETHBRIDGE HAS TO OFFER FOR PEOPLE, IS WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT.” AUTUMN RELFECTED ON HER EXPERIENCES IN HER POSITION: “…I LOVE WORKING IN THE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU. A LOT OF THEM WILL WALK BY AND TELL YOU THAT YOU’RE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ALSO SO QUICK TO HELP YOU. THEY’RE NOT HESITANT TO TELL YOU INFORMATION, LIKE…THIS HAPPENED HERE OR THIS HAPPENED HERE. THEY JUST WANT TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOU AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE SAFE AND THEY CAN TRUST US TO MAKE SURE…THAT WE’LL BE ABLE TO HELP THEM WITH WHATEVER THEY NEED.” “…AT THE BEGINNING PEOPLE…DIDN’T REALLY TRUST US, THEY DIDN’T WANT TO TELL US ANYTHING. BUT NOW YOU GET PEOPLE THAT GET SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU AND I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING EVERY JOB NEEDS TO HAVE – COMING TO WORK AND KNOWING THAT IT’S GOING TO BE EXCITING, AND IT’S GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY AT WORK… THAT’S SOMETHING THAT I THINK I ACHIEVED, WAS FINDING A JOB THAT I GENUINELY LIKE COMING TO WORK AND IT’S ALWAYS GOOD VIBES ALL AROUND, EVEN YOU’RE HAVING A BAD DAY, YOU KNOW THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT WILL LIFT UP YOUR SPIRITS WHETHER IT’S CO-WORKERS, OR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OR…EVEN…SOME OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION WHEN WE TALK WITH THEM…THEY JUST MAKE YOUR DAY SO MUCH BETTER. THEY’RE SO FUNNY AND YOU STILL BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO WHERE YOU’RE ABLE TO TELL THEM ‘I’M NOT HAVING A GOOD DAY’ AND THEY’RE COMPLETELY FINE WITH IT. THEY JUST TELL YOU ‘IT’S OKAY. TOMORROW’S A NEW DAY. TODAY’S BAD. DON’T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT.’” AUTUMN CONTINUED: “…ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE TRAINING THAT WE DID, WE’RE ALL GROWING… EVEN THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE, A LOT OF THEM SAY, ‘OH, I USED TO BE A REALLY BAD PERSON’ AND SOMETIMES…THEY SAY ‘I LIKE BEING AROUND YOU’ AND IT’S STUFF LIKE THAT THAT MAKES ME WANT TO CHANGE… IT’S NICE TO HEAR THINGS LIKE THAT... OUR TEAM’S ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP, EVEN VOLUNTEERS, THEY ALWAYS BRING SOMETHING NEW TO THE TABLE AND WE’RE FOREVER GROWING. WE HAVE…A RETIRED COP, AND HE’S ALWAYS GIVING US ADVICE OR TELLING US WE’RE DOING OKAY, SOMETHING EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HEAR BECAUSE SOMETIMES THINGS GET HARD AND YOU THINK YOU’RE NOT DOING A GREAT JOB BUT…WE HAVE REALLY GOOD TEAMWORK.” AUTUMN IS BLACKFOOT AND CREE, WHICH INFORMED HER APPROACH TO HER WORK WITH THE WATCH: “WITH THE WATCH, A LOT OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND ESPECIALLY OTHER TEAM LEADS WILL ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT [INDIGENOUS] LANGUAGE, CULTURE, ANYTHING. I’M JUST OPEN ABOUT IT. THEY CAN ASK ME OR I CAN EASILY FIND OUT WHAT THINGS MEAN… AS FOR DEALING WITH PEOPLE– IN THE COMMUNITY A LOT OF THE FIRST NATIONS THAT ARE HOMELESS, THEY FIND A LOT OF COMFORT KNOWING THAT THERE IS FIRST NATIONS THAT ARE GETTING INTO THIS AND IT’S EASY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM… IT ALSO HELPS MY OTHER CO-WORKERS… A LOT OF [PEOPLE] DON’T TRUST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ANYTHING. BUT WHEN YOU TELL THEM ABOUT IT AND [SAY] ALL PEOPLE ARE NOT BAD…THEY TEND TO OPEN UP. IT’S DIFFERENT BECAUSE I FIND WHEN I AM TALKING TO OTHER FIRST NATIONS, THEY GET SO EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT THE LANGUAGE AND THE CULTURE. WHEN THEY ARE AROUND THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY DAY THEY DON’T HAVE THAT EXPOSURE TO THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE ANY MORE. THEY’RE ALL GOING THROUGH THE SAME ADDICTIONS… SO WHENEVER SOMEONE COME[S] IN AND BRINGS BACK THAT ENERGY, THEY FEEL A LOT DIFFERENT, AND A LOT OF THEM GET VERY HAPPY AND ESPECIALLY TO REMINISCE, AND SPEAK THE LANGUAGE WITH EACH OTHER. IT JUST MAKES THEM FEEL A LOT BETTER.” “I WOULD SAY [I AM FAMILIAR WITH] THE BASICS [OF MY INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE], SOMETHING LIKE, MY GRANDMA WOULD SAY ‘COME HERE ‘SIT DOWN’, ‘HELLO’ BUT I’M NOT BIG ON SENTENCES RIGHT NOW. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT I’M LEARNING… EVERY NOW AND THEN I’LL TEXT MY GRANDMA OR I’LL SIT DOWN WITH HER AND ASK HER WHAT THIS MEANS OR HOW TO SAY THIS… THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THAT PERSON ON THE STREETS I’LL KNOW AND THEN IT JUST MAKES THEM FEEL BETTER THAT I’M TAKING THE TIME TO BOND WITH THEM ON THAT…LEVEL AND IT JUST KIND OF BUILDS THAT RESPECT. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I WOULD TALK TO SOMEBODY AND ‘OH YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT [THAT] MEANS?’ AND SO THEY’LL SAY IT TO ME AND’ I’LL REMEMBER IT AND GO ASK MY GRANDMAS AND WHEN I COME BACK I’LL SAY IT TO THEM AND THEY JUST FEEL GOOD THAT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY REMEMBERS SOMETHING THEY TALKED ABOUT.” SHE DETAILED WHY SHE LIKES WORKING FOR THE WATCH: “…IT IS A JOB THAT I ENJOY COMING TO. IT’S AN ONGOING LEARNING EXPERIENCE. YOU BUILD GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AND IT’S KIND OF HARD TO LEAVE. FROM DAY ONE I’VE NEVER FELT THE NEED TO LEAVE… I’VE HAD JOBS BEFORE WHERE YOU WORK FOR A FEW MONTHS AND YOU SAY, ‘LET’S TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT’ BUT BECAUSE WITH THIS IT’S A NEW DAY EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT YOU GET EXCITED TO COME TO WORK AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TODAY… SO THAT’S PART OF THE REASON WHY I’VE STAYED. IT’S ALWAYS A FUN EXPERIENCE.” AUTUMN HAS PROMOTED THE WORK TO OTHERS: “I’VE ASKED PEOPLE [IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE WATCH], DEFINITELY MY FRIENDS AT THE COLLEGE WHO ARE TAKING CRIMINAL JUSTICE. I’VE ALSO TOLD JUST FRIENDS OF MINE THAT IT’S NOT JUST FOR POLICING STUDENTS. IT’S TO GET TO KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY OR JUST TO GIVE BACK… [IT’S A GOOD WAY TO] GAIN SOME KNOWLEDGE OR JUST MAKE MORE FRIENDS… IT’S A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM TO BE A PART OF SO I’M NOT SURE IF ANY OF THEM HAVE APPLIED BUT I DEFINITELY HAVE SPREAD THE WORD AND TOLD THEM IT WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT CHOICE, NOT ONLY FOR POLICING BUT JUST IN GENERAL.” AUTUMN SUMMARIZED WHAT SHE HAS LEARNT ABOUT LETHBRIDGE THROUGH HER WORK: “I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WALKED THE DOWNTOWN BEAT, I DIDN’T REALIZE ALL THESE SMALL LITTLE BUSINESSES THAT WERE OWNED BY PEOPLE AND YOU GET TO KNOW THEM AND THEIR STORIES AND WHY THEY CAME TO OWN THEM, HOW LONG THEY’VE OWNED THEM FOR. WHEREAS, IF I HADN’T WORKED THIS JOB I WOULDN’T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT. I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE JUST GONE TO THE MALL TO GET EVERYTHING OR WHATEVER. BUT NOW I SEE MYSELF SHOPPING MORE IN THE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE YOU GET TO KNOW [THE BUSINESSES]… ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS HAS A FRIEND WHO WORKS AT THIS LITTLE BUSINESS DOWNTOWN AND SHE SAYS ‘OH, GO THERE, THEY HAVE ALL THIS LITTLE THINGS. I GOT THE MAJORITY OF MY CHRISTMAS GIFTS THERE BECAUSE THERE WERE THINGS THERE THAT I COULD NOT FIND IN THE MALL THAT WERE SIGNIFICANT OR THAT WERE DIFFERENT.’ SO, FOR ME A PART OF THAT, FOR ME, WAS GETTING TO KNOW THE BUSINESS OWNERS, SHOWING THAT I AM TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO GET TO KNOW THEM. NOW, WHEN I GO OUT, AND EVEN IF I WERE TO GO ON SCENIC AND GO TO GAS UP…THE OWNER OF [ONE OF THE BUSINESSES] HAD RECOGNIZED YOU AND TALK WITH THEM OUTSIDE OF UNIFORM WHEREAS BEFORE YOU WOULDN’T EVEN HAVE KNOWN WHO THEY WERE. SO IT’S NICE KNOWING A LOT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND EVEN JUST THE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. THEY’RE REALLY GREAT PEOPLE.” “WORKING THIS JOB, I HAVE REALLY GROWN TO LOVE LETHBRIDGE… WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE. [I THOUGHT] ‘I’M GOING TO GO BACK TO CALGARY AND WORK IN CALGARY BECAUSE THAT’S ALL I’VE REALLY KNOWN IS THAT CITY.’ BUT WORKING HERE, IT’S A LOT SMALLER. YOU CAN BUILD BETTER RELATIONSHIPS, WHEREAS CALGARY IS REALLY BIG AND YOU WOULD BE IN ONE AREA WHERE YOU’RE NOT WORKING WITH THE REST OF THE POLICE… ALL THE POLICE HERE KNOW EACH OTHER AND IT’S SOMETHING I THINK I REALLY WANT TO BE PART OF.” AUTUMN COMMUNICATED HER VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNITY: “IF I COULD TELL PEOPLE OF THE FUTURE SOMETHING, I WOULD SAY, BE OPEN MINDED ABOUT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE BECAUSE IT WILL REALLY CHANGE YOUR MINDSET. DON’T LISTEN TO THE TALK. GO FIND THINGS OUT ON YOUR OWN. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE. BE KIND…YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH. IF YOU CAN, ALWAYS GIVE BACK AND ALWAYS TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT BECAUSE IT DOES COME BACK TEN TIMES BETTER.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO SEE THE FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION, PLEASE SEE THE DONATION’S PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20200003001

Acquisition Date

2020-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail