WEYBURN - Members of the Weyburn Police Service are dedicated to serving the community in a number of different ways. The Weyburn Review recently interviewed Const. Preston Roy, who has now served the community for over a year, as he was sworn into duty in January of 2021.
“One could say that helping and serving the community of Weyburn is in my blood,” said Const. Roy. Born and raised in Weyburn, he was surrounded by family members who had pursued occupations focused on helping people. His father and sister-in-law have served as police officers, his mother as a nurse, and a brother and a cousin served as paramedics.
“I always knew that Weyburn would be where I’d want to raise a family and if given the chance, I too wanted to work towards the opportunity to serve my community as a police officer,” added Const. Roy. “I’m entering my second year of policing. I’m enjoy the variety of the job where no two days are ever the same and you never know what your day is going to be, so it keeps you on your toes.”
“The Weyburn Police Service is made up of excellent members with a wide range of experience and skill sets. To be able to be part of a group of people who are dedicated to a job that ultimately is about upholding the core values held by the community is really great,” said Const. Roy.
There are many learning opportunities offered to the members of the Weyburn Police Service. “In policing it’s important to be proactive with becoming knowledgeable in the endless facets of policing. Officer and civilian safety is always the highest priority so I’ll always jump at the chance to broaden my skills in that area,” said Const. Roy. “But everything from investigations to specific crime training opens up new avenues for officer knowledge and can be really useful when occurrences arise.”
According to Const. Roy, “police members encounter a variety of situations that will sometimes present emotional and physical challenges.”
“Dealing with heavy or horrific situations can weigh on emergency responders (police, EMS, fire) and can affect people in different ways which can not only make the job hard but impact life outside of the job. But the reward of helping people in times of need makes the risks and dangers of the job worth it.”
There is an opportunity for lots of community interaction for members of the Weyburn Police Service.
“I really enjoy all aspects of community interaction whether it be chatting with someone passing by or presenting in a school setting. Each time we can interact or work with community members and organizations to advance public safety is fantastic,” said Const. Roy.
“Creating a safe community is not something police can or want to do alone. It’s something to be done hand-in-hand with the community it serves. A big part of policing is obviously enforcing the law which isn’t always the interaction persons are looking for, but it’s rewarding when you see the work put in the front end, like anti-drunk driving campaigns, which can have real positive impacts in reducing occurrences.”
A big part of enforcing the law is to help remind local residents about municipal, provincial and federal legislation that might be in place. One of the biggest changes recently for local police officers was the legalization of cannabis.
“It’s important to seek out information and be educated about cannabis,” said Const. Roy. “There is a big education gap in the cannabis market and knowing more about applicable laws and the effects of cannabis, can help avoid legal issues and ensure public safety.”
There will be many more opportunities for Const. Roy to continue to learn and receive education himself as he continues to serve the community. He is proud to be a member of the Weyburn Police Service.
