Before the PACS program, Eric had an outlook on the world that he now considers close-minded. Meeting his professors – such as Lowell Ewert, Nathan Funk, Jennifer Ball, and Reina Neufeldt – was an important part of the change he underwent, and they continue to inspire him and his work.
My professors taught me to care about and love the world in a unique way. I value my time in the program more for its ability to help me grow as a person and a contributor to my community than just the plaque on my wall.
Eric is using his education to help inspire others, as his professors inspired him. He works in the Office of the Chief of Police as an Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Officer for the Waterloo Regional Police Service. In this role, he has the responsibility of providing education and awareness to those in law enforcement, both internally and externally. He also works to build relationships with diverse groups of people in the community while helping to foster an inclusive, equitable workplace.
Additionally, Eric is a sessional instructor at Mohawk College, where he uses his practical and academic experiences to teach diversity courses to Police Foundations Students. He provides these students with frameworks that will allow them to interact in a more meaningful way with diverse groups, something that is extremely important as they move forward into law enforcement and other related careers.
In the future, Eric plans to continue his work with the Waterloo Regional Police Service. “I think I am uniquely positioned here to make positive change, inspire new members, and invigorate senior ones with my positive and unique approach to policing,“ he says. He loves his job and is dedicated to making a positive change in law enforcement fields. He is now pursuing further education as a Doctoral Candidate studying diversity in police recruitment in Ontario.
Eric attributes much of his success in his work to his time in the PACS and MPACS programs. He says: "My first passion is people - and PACS/MPACS gave me the opportunity to grow and learn from those who have similar passions. My Police Service is values driven and vision inspired, but I was having trouble making sense of my practical experiences with how they contribute to a larger narrative of building a peaceful and civil society here in the Waterloo Region. My time at Conrad Grebel helped me develop into both a better Police Officer, and a better contributor to my community overall."