Matt Harty
LAW ENFORCEMENT STUDIES INSTRUCTOR
We asked a few faculty around campus about their barrier to learning and what they do to improve accessibility.
Our amazing faculty member, Matt, had this to say…
One significant barrier to learning growing up was income. Coming from a working-class family, during a time when mortgage interest rates ranged from 15 – 22%, there was not a lot of extra money to save for school. This taught me to start working and saving young and to contribute both to the family and also save for my future. It also provided me with an interest in investing and how I can make my money grow. As well, I was the second child in the immediate and extended family to go to university (my oldest sister being the first) and it was not something that was encouraged in my high school as most students were pushed towards the trades or labour to get a “good job.” No one ever had the discussion with me about which profession I would want to enter or that policing was a legitimate profession. My parents were very supportive, but more information about universities and professions (lawyer, doctor, accountant, and so forth) would have been very helpful. In retrospect, it speaks to the subtle class distinctions within our society as I am sure that the discussions/expectations between teachers and students are much different in more affluent areas.
Once an adult and full-time police officer, the biggest barrier was shift-work. Shift-work is extremely isolating and when most of your days off are filled with mandatory training, court, and a young family, there is no time or money for school. I am very pleased that universities and employers are moving towards on-line and hybrid models which allow working professionals and young students with less family economic resources to attend school while maintaining full-time employment.
During my tenure as the VPD HR Inspector, I helped to implement our Road to Mental Readiness Program (R2MR) which is a self-assessment/links to supports program that helps police officers and civilian professionals recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and triggers both within themselves and others and to treat stress injuries the same as one would treat a physical injury – without judgement or stigma. As well, as part of a recent sergeants’ selection panel (this is a panel that interviews, assesses, and ranks, constables wishing to be promoted to sergeant) I chaired the panel and ensured that EDI indicators were incorporated within all core competency categories and brought forward recommendations that, to prevent mere ‘tick-box’ engagement (such as having a stand-alone EDI question) that EDI should be incorporated into all VPD core competencies (leadership, problem solving, resource management, and so forth) thereby fostering a cultural shift.