North Bay police launch first auxiliary police program

North Bay's first auxiliary police officers were sworn in on Wednesday, launching a new era in community policing. Eric Taschner reports.

Five people were sworn in at a special ceremony this week at city hall as the North Bay Police Service launched its new auxiliary member program.

Work began last fall to find volunteers who can help sworn police officers deliver crime prevention programs, attend community events and help with other duties.

That includes Liam Brooks, who said being a police officer is in his blood and is one of the new recruits joining the first auxiliary officer unit.

His older brother and parents are police officers in Barrie.

“Growing up, I watched them the whole time and just like knowing what they do and how they make a difference,” Brooks said.

In 2022, he enrolled in Nipissing University’s Criminal Justice program and then entered a bridging program into Police Foundations at Canadore College.

He will complete this course later this spring.

When Brooks received his auxiliary officer badge, his mother and father helped swear him in.

“Policing is obviously a difficult career, but a very rewarding career,” said his dad, Barrie police Staff Sgt. John Brooks.

“Both my wife and I are extremely proud of our son that he’s chosen this career path … It’s now a full family event for us.”

Liam Brooks said he hopes to one day patrol the streets of North Bay in a cruiser.

“I’m excited for mostly the RIDE programs and being involved in the big community events,” he said.

North Bay police launched its auxiliary program in November with a focus on fostering positive community connections and enhancing safety.

Chief Daryl Longworth pitched the idea to city council in June 2024.

“In a crisis or for a community, we’ve got an additional 10, 15, or 20 bodies on the road to assist us,” Longworth said.

“And we do what we do at very little cost to the taxpayers because they’re volunteers.”

A former auxiliary officer himself, the chief said he envisions an auxiliary unit of 20 volunteers. It’s also a stepping stone, he noted, for people who want to pursue a career in law enforcement.

“I see myself applying for a special constable next and then, eventually, hopefully, going on as a sworn officer,” auxiliary officer Ben Mason told reporters.

“I’ve always looked at my community as a place that I would benefit from. I love being out in the community, helping out in any way I can.”

‘They see the uniform’

Auxiliary police members can work in areas such as traffic and crowd control at parades and community events, during emergencies, RIDE programs and public safety outreach initiatives.

“I really don’t think the community sees a difference between an auxiliary officer, a police officer, a special constable,” Longworth added.

“They see the uniform. So, my caution to them (the recruits) was to wear it with pride, with humility.”

Each candidate had to undergo a “discerning recruitment process,” Longworth said.

“They went through several weeks of training in their powers of arrest, their responsibilities and some use-of-force training. But a lot of it was communication, like how to use the radios, the policies and procedures that would affect them as members.”

The five new auxiliary officers are Brooks, Mason, Sebastian Lagace, Ignazio Faraci and Harshit Bansal.