The Sun Youth Bike Patrol is getting ready for another summer and is looking for new candidates for 2018.
Since 1984, the Sun Youth Bike Patrol has been assigned to promote safety and prevent crime, giving the community a feeling of security during the summer. The Sun Youth Bike Patrol is getting ready for another summer and is looking for new candidates for 2018.
The call is open to students or young adults aged 18 and over who are fluent in French and English, in good physical condition, who have good interpersonal skills and a strong interest in community work or police work. The candidates must be able to work 40 hours a week from June 4th to August 10th, 2018. The job consists of patrolling parks, playgrounds, bike paths, organize sporting events, bike safety clinics, be a presence around day camps as well as at neighbourhood events, work with the community and in collaboration with the Montreal police. “Our goal is for our patrollers to reach the greatest number of people, inform the population about Sun Youth services and to be the eyes and ears of the police,” says Jonathan Caisse, Sun Youth coordinator of Crime Prevention and Victim Services.
It was the community and police work that prompted Sun Youth employee Vanessa Afonso to join the organization’s bike patrol last year. Her experience as a patroller was very beneficial since she was able to work closely with the police. Having studied in Police Tech, she mentions that she was able to witness the realities of being a police officer through the operations that the Sun Youth patrollers have participated in. During these operations, their role was to inform people about the laws, but also to be in contact with members of the community. She mentions the many moments she spent with seniors living at the Ukrainian Residence in Montreal. For her, these weekly meetings seemed to illuminate the day of these people who are sometimes lonely. What she retains from her experience as a patroller is the importance of “taking the time to interact with the people and develop a bond with them,” she concludes.
For David Dieujuste, also a Sun Youth employee and former member of the Bike Patrol, being a patroller is a great opportunity to help the SPVM. For three summers, this job allowed him to establish a privileged relationship with the community and to develop his communication skills. His experience as a patroller taught David the importance of having good communication with the police: “we were the eyes and ears of the SPVM,” he says. A few years ago, his vigilance helped find an elderly man who was missing. He explains that the police had asked the help of Sun Youth’s Bike Patrol. At that moment, David and his teammate patrolled the neighborhood and identified a man who met the description given by the SPVM. It was indeed the missing man. Even today, this event is a great moment of pride for David. This summer job was a great way for him to have a closeness with people that the police doesn’t necessarily have. David is still working at Sun Youth, in the Crime Prevention and Emergency Services Departments, where he continues to help people.
For three decades, young people who are now police officers, teachers, lawyers, nurses and social workers have contributed to the success of the Bike Patrol. The diversity of patrollers profiles is a great asset for Sun Youth, making this summer job a positive, beneficial and unforgettable experience.
For more information, contact Jonathan Caisse at 514-842-6822 or send your Résumé and motivation letter by February 23rd, 2018 at police@sunyouthorg.com.
