PEACE program aims to build links between OPP, Indigenous youth
This is a summer to remember for Miah Parenteau.
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This is a summer to remember for Miah Parenteau.
The 19-year-old from the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown has seen how Chatham OPP officers investigate a fatal crash, marshal resources, including a dog team and helicopter, to track down a suspect, and has spent a day with the OPP marine unit, all as part of her summer job.
Parenteau is nearing the end of her eight-week placement in the OPP’s Police Ethnic and Cultural Exchange (PEACE) program.
Currently enrolled at Trent University, Parenteau is working toward a career as a social worker.
When she learned about the job opportunity in her community newspaper, Parenteau thought it would be a good experience and great summer job.
“I felt understanding the police perspective would help me in the future” as a social worker, she said.
Parenteau is not only in the program to learn, she is also there to help the mentor OPP officers she works with, offering insights about the experiences, challenges and issues facing young people from Indigenous communities.
This was one goals of the late Monty Kohoko, an Indigenous officer with Haldimand-Norfolk OPP, when the program started in the late 1990s. It was his goal and vision “to build relationships between Indigenous communities and the OPP through positive interactions.”
The program has returned after being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parenteau has been spending 12-hour shifts primarily with Const. Nicole Mailloux, which provides a lot of time to talk about life.
“It’s interesting,” Mailloux said. “I like hearing Miah’s point of view on things and how with her culture, how things are done differently.
“It’s kind of nice,” she added. “I’m learning about their culture and way of doing things.”
Parenteau believes it is important for police to “understand Indigenous youth, especially to see where they’re coming from and how they understand the world.”
As truth and reconciliation progresses in Canada following the tragedies learned from residential schools, Parenteau said it’s important police understand “intergenerational trauma and how that plays a part in a lot of things that are currently going on.
“Having a broad understanding of how things we’ve experienced in the past is super important,” she added.
Const. Shawn Eagen, who’s with the provincial liaison team administering the PEACE program in the OPP’s West Region, said not only is the program there for officers to learn, but also for students to see officers are there to help and are good people.
Parenteau admits being a “little pessimistic” about police coming into the job, but added this experience has “definitely changed some things.”
When asked about talking to family and friends about her summer job, she said, “I think being able to share my experiences with them is changing some perspectives as well.”
Parenteau has also seen some interesting aspects of policing, even while being required to remain in the cruiser for her own safety.
“The first couple of weeks she was here, it was pretty non-stop busy,” Mailloux said.
They were first on the scene of a fatal collision, for example, which is an involved process to investigate, she said.
Parenteau also saw how the OPP tracked down a suspected auto thief, bringing a police dog team and helicopter.
Parenteau saw first-hand how the police response was organized, needed resources were called in and the suspect was contained, Mailloux said.
Though she remains in the cruiser during calls, “When you hear the calls come in and you’re hearing the updates, adrenaline comes into play,” Parenteau said.
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