Three new officers join Saint John Police Force

The Saint John Police Force welcomed its three newest members Tuesday.

Temitope Akinrimisi, Chandler Armstrong and Alex Hussey were sworn in as constables at a brief ceremony.

The trio were recruited to the force through its sponsorship program.

According to Chief Robert Bruce, the program has become standard practice in New Brunswick.

The new officers are sponsored by the Saint John Police to attend the Atlantic Police Academy and guaranteed a position upon completion of their training.

“We are very fortunate that all our new members have come to the Saint John Police with the same passion and commitment to serve our community,” Bruce said.

Bruce said policing is an ever-changing profession, constantly evolving under increased demands, higher expectations and intense scrutiny.

“While the core values such as integrity, honour, valour, respect, self-confidence, pride, professionalism, inclusiveness and accountability have remained steadfast, the profession itself has become far more complex,” Bruce said.

“As professional police officers, we give up the right to a bad day.”

The new officers come from diverse backgrounds.

Const. Akinrimisi is from Nigeria, where he worked as a credit risk analyst for the First City Monument Bank. He moved to Canada in 2022, and in 2023 completed a master of business administration at the University of New Brunswick.

Const. Armstrong comes from Ontario, where he attended Durham College and received a two-year diploma in protection, security and investigation. He spent the last four years as a loss prevention investigator with Holt Renfrew, a dual security supervisor with Ace Casino Blackfoot and a security operations supervisor with Casino Ajax.

Const. Hussey, a graduate of Rothesay Netherwood School, has served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a member of the naval reserves. He also followed in his father’s footsteps. Staff Sgt. Mark Hussey is a 20-year veteran of the Saint John Police and presented his son with his badge.

Bruce told the new officers to continue to improve their skills and education and to be the best they can be.

“There is no greater honour than to serve others,” Bruce said. “There is no greater satisfaction than making a difference in the lives of those you serve.”

The new officers began their duties immediately.