'I screamed so loudly': Summerside's first Indigenous police officer 'overjoyed' to join force

Summerside's first Indigenous police officer says she's thrilled to join the force and hopes to build on its "great" rapport with the community.

Const. Mallory Metallic began working general patrol this month after receiving a phone call from Sgt. Jason Blacquiere welcoming her to the team.

"The day he called me, I screamed so loudly ... I think I deafened him a little bit in his ear or he might think I'm a little bit too overly excited. But I got that phone call and I was overjoyed."

Metallic, who is from the ListugujFirst Nation in Quebec, said she had wanted a career in policing since she was in grade school. Some of her family members were on the force in Listuguj, so she saw first-hand how police officers can make a difference in a community.

Looked up to officers

"If there's a problem, they want to resolve it as best as they can and just their overall atmosphere, their energy, their reactions and their interactions with community members is something I've always admired and who I would look up to over there."

Metallic graduated from the Atlantic Police Academy in 2018. She said she hopes to be a resource for issues that deal with Mi'kmaw culture.

"Not always suspects, it could be a witness, a client, anybody, a victim, you know, anybody who would like just that little extra resource. And that's what they're familiar with, someone relatable. I think that's one way I'd like to help."

'Great community interaction'

She would like toeventuallyget into the major crime unit, forensics or the K-9 team, but for now she is just happy be part of the Summerside Police Service.

"They have a great community interaction, great rapport with the community," she said.

"Everything they have here is exactly what I've been wanting to do. Just getting out there and being able to be all we can and help as much as possible."

More from CBC P.E.I.