Abbotsford Police Officer Teaches about Crime Prevention and Safety
Learners in a CLB 3-4 class knew they were going to have a guest speaker come and teach them about crime prevention and safety on July 7th, but to their surprise, Nikki Reddemann, a female police officer with the Abbotsford Police Department, came to see them. Kulwant, a learner in the class, wrote in a reflection about the presentation, “On Monday, I met a police officer. … She is very friendly, nice and very patient. I was very surprised. She is a woman. I was afraid of the police, but when I met Nikki, my thinking was changed. She is a very kind person.” Martha described her as tall, strong, friendly, and kind. Khalid wrote, “We were happy to see her. Because we knew today we will train about crime prevention and safety.” One learner even wrote that they were excited to meet Nikki because they want to be a police officer.
The learners were able to see her uniform, equipment and her police car. “She showed us her radio, gun and handcuffs,” wrote Willianne. Learners also had the chance to sit in the back seat of the police car and were given a demonstration of how the siren and lights worked. Candice wrote, “She looks cool in police dark navy blue uniform and gun, she demonstrates police car emergency siren and flashing lights.” Afterwards, they had the opportunity to take pictures with her.
Officer Nikki was accompanied by three volunteers, Wendy, Tanya, and Kris. Kim Tuyen wrote, “They taught us about when to call the 911 operator and in cases non-emergency to call (604) 859-5225.” “I learned to be careful with strangers, not to pick up hitchhikers, and not to share vacation plans on social media. It was very helpful and interesting,” wrote Hanan. Asma wrote, “The new information for me don’t put your name and address in your suitbag just write your cell phone number.” “She told us how to stay safe in our car and at home. … She said we must be aware when we are walking and getting into our car,” wrote Jerry.
In the learners’ reflections, it is clear that the presentation was received very well and some learners noted that, “It was a great day!” or “We were thrilled about her.” The learners expressed how thankful they were for the visit and the opportunity to learn about safety in their community. Iman wrote, “It was a good experience, and I learned a lot.” “The visit helped us understand the role of police officers and how they help keep to community safe,” wrote Bothina.
We want to thank the Abbotsford Police Department, Officer Nikki Reddemann, Wendy, Tanya, Kris, and the coordinators for giving newcomers in Abbotsford a chance to interact with an Abbotsford police officer and to learn about safety.