83 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association 2018 Police Officer of the Year – Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Currently stationed in Corner Brook, Constable Shawna Park, in her role as Media Relations and Community Services Officer, always displays confidence and courtesy when representing the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Her dedication and professionalism has helped forge a great working relationship with both community partners and local citizens in the area. In her current role as Community Services officer through her community involvement with various groups and organizations, she positively contributes on a daily basis to the reputation of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Constable Park is an active volunteer in the community on various committees and groups. Such groups include: an active member on the Board of Directors for Willow House, Member of the Board of Directors for Vine Place, a member of the Blomidon Advisory Committee, a member of the RNC Domestic Violence Working Group, a member on the RNC Corner Brook Region Intimate Partner Violence Stakeholders Group, a member of the Qalipu First Nation National Aboriginal Day Planning Committee, a member of the Western Pride LBGT Committee, RNC Liaison with NL West SPCA, RNC Liaison with the Qalipu Ma'Kmaq First Nation, a member of the St. James' School Council, a member of the Knowledge is Power Native Women's Provincial Working Group on Sexual Violence, Program Developer, Organizer and Facilitator for the Local Pet Safe Keeping Program, and she is responsible for the Corner Brook Region's Cell Phone Replacement Program for victims of Intimate Partner Violence. Constable Park is also the Corner Brook Region's Internet Computer Safety Facilitator, Students Taking Responsibility in Violence Education Facilitator, Preventing Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth Facilitator and a Gender and Sexual Diversity Facilitator. Constable Park was instrumental in helping develop and institute the first Pet Safe Keeping program in the Corner Brook area. She worked tirelessly developing partnerships with the City of Corner Brook, Willow House, the SPCA and the Humber Valley Veterinary Clinic in order to provide temporary foster homes and emergency veterinarian care free-of -charge for pets of people fleeing their homes due to domestic violence. Constable Park is quite active and instrumental in its continued operation and success as she organizes veterinarian appointments and foster homes. Constable Park organizes and facilitates the RNC Junior Police Academy in the Corner Brook area. The Junior Police Academy is a 3night, 4-day camp held at Killdevil in Gros Morne National Park that has been in operation for over a decade and gives youth ages 9-12 years old the opportunity to take part in a free camping experience (which is often the children's only vacation). Through this camp, the RNC have fostered stronger and healthier relationships between the youth participants and the police by breaking down the historical barriers that existed with youth from the Crestview Community. Constable Park, being of aboriginal descent and a member of the Qalipu Mi'Kmaq First Nation, believes in inclusion and has developed a strong partnership with the Qalipu First Nation, for the last two years half of the volunteers and participants at the camp have been Qalipu members. As well, the Qalipu First Nation now brings a very important cultural component to the Junior Police Academy by educating the participants about our First Nations and teaching them about Mi'kmaq culture and traditions. In December of 2017, Constable Park worked on a charity drive for the Children’s Wish Foundation which raised more than $2000. Constable Park is a selfless individual who wants to make the lives of people around her better. An example of this is as follows: “A local family in the community was devastated with the loss of a mom/wife. The mother of two young children had lost her battle with cancer just prior to Christmas. The father had not worked in a while as he had to care for his sick wife and their children. Constable Park had heard that the father of the children had no idea how he was going to be able to provide any type of memorable Christmas to his children, the "first Christmas without mom." Constable Park immediately began the efforts to ensure that she could lend a hand to at least make their Christmas as enjoyable as she possibly could, given the tragic circumstance. She put a call out to local groups for any help that could be given. Within a very short time Constable Park had arranged and gift-wrapped presents for not just the two children but for dad as well, including stocking stuffers for all, gift cards, and of course $300 grocery gift cards for Christmas groceries. Constable Park even provided all the Christmas dinner vegetables that she had grown in her own vegetable garden. On Christmas Eve Constable Park made a call to the father and asked how to appropriately deliver the Christmas miracle on behalf of Santa, the father was humbled and very emotional with the act of kindness. He later described the whole event that occurred Christmas morning as "the worst Christmas of his life seeing his kids without their mother on Christmas morning but also the greatest Christmas of his life given the kindness of Constable Park and I who were involved." Constable Shawna Park
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