Stepping in as Black Diamond’s newest peace officer didn’t go as planned for Dillon Cranston.
The former Red Deer Remand Centre guard had everything lined up – a six-week community peace officer introductory training course in Edmonton starting March 17, a place to live in Black Diamond on May 1 and his first day on the job as the Town’s newest peace officer on May 4, joining veteran Jim Berry.
Yet, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Alberta in early March and almost everything shut down including learning facilities, it left Cranston in a bit of a pickle.
“The Friday before I was supposed to start my training course everything shut down,” said Cranston. ”I’m still waiting for it to open up.”
Lucky for Cranston, the Town of Black Diamond placed him in a bylaw officer role until he’s able to complete his training.
“I got lucky that they were able to outfit me as just a bylaw officer for the time being until the training opens back up,” he said. “The peace officer role does bylaw and traffic, but essentially I can’t do the traffic stuff. I’m just happy that the Town had something else for me to do so I still have a paycheque.”
Cranston got to work in early May familiarizing himself with the Town’s various bylaws and shadowing Berry in some ride-alongs before getting a handle on the job.
“We did a couple of shifts together at the start of May,” he said. “For the most part I’m on my own. I feel like it was a fairly smooth transition.”
Cranston keeps busy responding to noise bylaws, informing residents of the rules surrounding parked recreational vehicles on private property and connecting with the community’s youth.
“My stance is more education based,” he said. “I would rather explain the different bylaws to people. In a small town you have to have patience with people. I don’t want to come into a town where people don’t know who I am and hand out tickets for things they’re not used to dealing with.”
Much of that education has been for the youth after Cranston noticed many weren’t wearing helmets while cycling around town, despite the provincial law requiring youth under age 18 to do so.
“I’ve been talking to the kids and trying to get them to put on their helmets,” he said. “I want to make sure everyone is as safe as possible. I don’t want to respond to any accidents where they’re not wearing them.”
In the month Cranston has served as Black Diamond’s peace officer, every day has been different.
“You’re always doing something new, you’re always dealing with different people and situations,” he said.
It was during Cranston’s high school years that he realized he wanted to pursue a career in policing.
“I was lifeguarding through high school and university and I just liked being the person who is watching over everyone, trying to make sure everyone is safe and enjoying themselves,” he said. “I’ve always been one that responded well to emergency situations.”
After obtaining a degree in criminology from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, there weren’t many opportunities in the field in Ontario so Cranston took a job as a guard at the Red Deer Remand Centre.
He soon realized it wasn’t quite what he wanted to do.
“After a couple of years being there I didn’t feel I was helping anybody, which was more what I wanted to get into as a career where I felt I was doing something positive for the community,” he said. “I was looking to do something to make the community a better place and get back to my small town roots. I didn’t feel like I was fulfilling my dream.”
It was while working for Alberta Transportation, issuing overweight and over dimension permits for commercial vehicles, when Cranston learned about the roles of peace officers in Alberta.
“Where I’m from in Ontario they don’t have peace officers,” he said. “I’d seen them driving around, but I wasn’t aware of what the job was. I started looking into it and started applying for positions which led me down here.”
Having grown up in the small community of Dunnville, Ontario, Cranston was eager to return to his small town roots.
“I’m used to the small town mentality, so Black Diamond is an easy transition for me,” he said. “I like small towns where everybody knows each other. If somebody is up to something it’s not as hidden as it can be in the city.”
Cranston invites members of the public to introduce themselves when he’s out and about working in the community.
“I’m approachable,” he said. “When I’m out driving around I wave at people and make myself known as a friendly face.”
