London Police Service’s newest addition brings cultural component to Recruit Swearing In Ceremony

By Rick Garrick

LONDON—Chippewas of the Thames’ Chris Henry helped arrange the smudge and prayer ceremony for himself and six other recruits at the April 20 London Police Service graduation ceremony.

“He was the one who wanted to have a ceremony done,” says Chippewas of the Thames Chief Myeengun Henry. “He did all the speaking to the administrators and it happened today, a historic event. It was the first time ever taking place at a London Police badging ceremony.”

Chief Henry says the ceremony went “perfect.” He did a drum song, an opening prayer in Anishinaabemowin and a smudging ceremony.

“We had people, delegates, family, all come up after and they said it was one of the nicest ceremonies they had ever seen,” Chief Henry says. “It helps our people to have these role models, to know that they can get into these fields and know they are going to be honoured for who they are and not dishonoured because of stereotypes.”

Chief Henry says the community had been looking for someone to be a role model with the London Police Service. Other community members are already serving with the Ontario Provincial Police and other police services.

“He came up at a perfect time,” Chief Henry says. “We’re seeing our band members feeling so good about this.”

Henry appreciates the support he received from his community during his journey to become a London Police Service constable.

“Everyone is extremely supportive, especially the Chief,” Henry says. “Chief Henry has really been 100 percent behind me. He’s helped me out, too. The family loved it as well. Ever since day one they’ve supported me through the whole thing, so they’re just all excited as well.”

Henry says he is the first member of his family to pursue policing as a career, noting that policing was always something he had thought about as a career.

“At first, I went for electrical engineering and figured out that wasn’t for me,” Henry says. “Then I switched over to Police Foundations and it was just a perfect fit — I loved it. I loved the possibilities I could do with the career as well, so I just stuck with it since then.”

Henry says he realized while studying in the electrical engineering program that he didn’t want to work with numbers and machines.

“I wanted to work with people,” Henry says. “So that is why I thought of Police Foundations, because you really get to interact with people all day. You get to do a lot of good in the community.”

After graduating from the Police Foundations program at Fanshawe College, Henry studied for a year-and-a-half at Griffith University in Australia, where he earned his Bachelors in Criminology degree.

“I got a little homesick at times, but overall it was an amazing experience,” Henry says. “I was in Brisbane. I think the coldest it got was 20 degrees. There was a beach 20 minutes away, so I had such a fun time there.”

Henry says he and the other recruits will work with training officers for their first 48 shifts with the London Police Service.

“My training officer will be in charge of everything and I will be just observing,” Henry says. “Then my training officer will just sit back and observe me and just make sure I am doing everything right and I will be in charge of everything.”

Henry says his goal is to eventually work his way up to the London Police Service’s tactical team.