Personnel Panel Flashcards
Panel Members
Amanda Vanderstoep (20 yrs):
Corporal - RCMP
Liz Ross (8 years):
Constable - Delta PD/ CFSEU
Lorena Rostie (22 years):
Staff Sergeant - RCMP
About Themselves
Amanda Vanderstoep - Worked with missing files in Surrey, and the riot section of policing.
Liz Ross - SFU crim student, 5 years patrol, and 3 years major crime section
CFSEU - Anti-Gang agency; long-term investigation into organized crime
Lorena Rostie - Current role is police auditing, degree in chemistry/comp sci, worked in digital forensics for 10 years
How would you describe the police in one word?
Amanda Vanderstoep:
Protector - When you get a file into court, their role then changes to protecting victims from offenders.
Liz Ross: Human - Police is not perfect, in a way subhuman. They have emotions, and work hard but do make mistakes
Lorena Rostie: Service - Police officers care about what they do and want to make the world a better place
At what point in your life did you decide that you wanted to become a police officer and was there a particular event or person that inspired your interest?
Amanda Vanderstoep - SBSO for CBSA which was a good stepping stone for RCMP. Wanted to be a lawyer but failed the LSAT. She passed all the police tests but did not want to do it. What made her join was the diversity in police postings anywhere in Canada
Liz Ross - Law 12 made her like criminology, so she majored it at SFU. Initially she wanted to be a lawyer but her 251 - Intro to polciing class made her want to pursue policing
Lorena Rostie - Grew up in Regina next to depot so she always saw recruits training. After getting degrees in comp sci and chemistry, she thought computer crimes would be fun so she applied.
How did your family and friends react to becoming a police officer?
Amanda Vanderstoep - After the incident of 4 police officers being killed, her grandma told her to rethink her decision.Her grandma was scared. Her children feel safe because she is an officer.
Liz Ross - Her mom wished she could be an officer, and her dad didnt want her to get a job full of danger. She said most people were “unsurpised” and her friends remained the same.
Lorena Rostie - Mixed reaction, friends werent surprised, dad was worried because of officer suicide rate. Family was super proud after her graduation.
Can you describe police?
Amanda Vanderstoep - Her role is an executive lesion, she translates information between different agencies (DFEO, CBSA)
DPD Proud Initiative
Liz Ross - 1 of her coworkers was known LGBTQ. She started the DPD proud initiative, both internal and external so people dont need to hide it
Talk about on Patrol
She worked in Burnaby and applied for a conference in Toronto. She went and said it was a great experience.
Do you think that you perceive your job and or the policing role any differently then your colleagues and if so how and why?
Amanda Vanderstoep - All her colleagues are on the same page but not the rest of the department. They dont see the value of missing person department because they are not catching bank robbers or arresting criminals.
Liz Ross - Mixed feelings, says she perceives her job differently from other officers, as it should. Her life experiences, cases worked, shape her connections that she makes that her collagues do not. There is value in every officer having their own thought processes.
Does the public perceive you differently than your colleagues?
Amanda Vanderstoep - Public treats her with more empathy and compassion because she is in the missing persons department. She was perceived negatively while being a patrol officer as well as patrol outfit vs. regular clothes
Liz Ross - People refused to believe she was an officer when she was in plain clothes, but they believed her male colleague much quicker.
Lorena Rostie - She does not work with the public, but the name calling does “out” her in public, but mostly has been good. She says as long as you treat people fairly and with respect, you get the same attitude back.
Have you faced any barriers in your policing career as you feel as a result of your identity?
Amanda Vanderstoep - She wanted to become a dog handler early in her career but became pregnant and was unable to take on the role. Another example is of her trying to complete her policework at home to also be with her kids, but the corporal told her the next day if this continues, then she would get kicked off the team.
Liz Ross - She was a women’s size 8, and since women were very rare in policing the only shoes they had for her were the worst ones. They broke very quick and you are only allowed to buy new shoes every 2 years. She ended up paying $500 out of her own pocket and sergeant said they cannot reimburse her for them. Delta PD has now addressed this issue.
Lorena Rostie - Says she is very fortunate and did not have to deal with identity-related barriers throughout her career.
What types of strategies or programs would help to diversify the police applicant pool?
Amanda Vanderstoep - the true crime audience like to analyze digital material, it is very important and there isn’t enough of those in policing. this brings value to aspiring applicants
Lorena Rostie - Go to police events whenever you have the chance, it will help you see what the police is looking for.
What about On-The-Job Applications?
Liz Ross -
Words of Wisdom
Amanda Vanderstoep - Take the leap and just go for what you want to do.
Liz Ross - Embrace the things that make you, you. Also, use those strengths. If you are an LGBTQ member, that is a strength.
Lorena Rostie - Be you, take the best parts of you and take them into the job (languages, special skills, etc.) Also, do what you love, if you love to dive, the police ha a dive team.
