North Bay police welcome two new officers

With competition fierce to attract new recruits, police in North Bay welcomed two new officers on Thursday.

At a time when many services face recruitment struggles, North Bay police have brought two new constables on board.

One new recruit, Const. Eric Venditti, credits an interaction he had with a city police officer when he was a child as the reason he wanted to join the force.

“My family went through a few things and there was a North Bay constable that showed up to my house,” Venditti recalled.

“I just believe that if he didn’t do what he did, I might not be in the position I am in today.”

He is a graduate of St. Joseph Scollard Hall Secondary School and has a diploma in pre-health science from Canadore College. He’s currently enrolled in the Criminal Justice program at Athabasca University.

Venditti and colleague Const. Paige Marcotte both grew up in North Bay and started with the police as special constables.

That program is often credited with helping new recruits adjust to daily officer life teaching them some of the roles and duties of police officers.

“We were working at the courthouse bringing detainees to and from court, picking detainees up from the jail and bringing them to the courthouse,” Marcotte said.

“I was also here booking people in the cell block.”

Marcotte is a graduate of West Ferris Secondary School and Canadore College, where she earned a diploma in Community and Justice Services.

She also worked as a pre-board screening officer at Jack Garland Airport.

North Bay police Chief Daryl Longworth said recruiting new officers is no easy task.

“All the police organizations across the province and across the country, we’re all competing,” Longworth told reporters.

“We’ve made the commitment here that we’re not going to settle for anything less than what we expect.”

Immense pride

In December, the police services board announced plans to hire four new officers for foot patrol, drug enforcement and traffic enforcement, as well as three civilian staff.

This is all pending the city’s final budget approval.

“I’m optimistic that the city and the community recognize the need for those positions, and it will be successful,” Longworth added.

North Bay police currently have 117 sworn officers.

For Marcotte and Venditti, both said they are eager to get in their squad cars, hit the road and start serving and protecting the community.

“There’s an immense amount of pride. It feels good. It was a long, long journey,” Marcotte said.