Episode 13: Dr. Scott Blandford

Dr. Scott Blandford is an Assistant Professor at Wilfred Laurier University. He is an instructor and program coordinator for undergraduate and graduate studies in policing and public safety.

Prior to his career in academia Scott was a police officer for 30 years with he London Police Service in Ontario. He retired at the rank of sergeant.

The current focus of Scott's research and writing is the selection, and educational requirements for new police officers. In this episode we explore Scott's views on whether it should be mandatory (as opposed to merely preferred) for police officers in Canada to have post-secondary education at the college or university level, and if policing can be described as a profession.

Under Reserve thanks Dr. Blandford for his time, and his service.

Show Notes:

• 3:24 – Getting a start in policing. Applied to RCMP at 18.
• 12:00 – London, Ontario
• 13:15 – door stop conversation on domestic call
• 15:40 – educational qualifications to be a police officer
• 17:15 – education beyond high school de facto requirement to be police officer
• 25:15 – cultural resistance to police hiring candidates with university education
• 28:04 – police promote to rank rather than to position
• 31:40 – a service that acts professionally vs. a professional service. Policing in Canada is not a profession.
• 43:40 – police officers aren’t paid to lose
• 45:50 – militarization of police
• 50:10 – less-lethal force
• 54:30 – would you do it all over again?