10 GEORGIANVIEW 2021 SPRING
ALUMNI ON THE FRONTLINES
BUILDING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS
Wazeer Rahiman, class of 2018
When Const. Wazeer Rahiman came to Canada in 2012, he wasn't the
confident man he is today. He left his family and friends behind in India
to start a new life in Canada. Initially, he had difficulty making friends.
"I was a person who was scared to talk to other people," he says.
"I always thought that other people were judging me or something
similar. I just didn't want to have a conversation with anyone."
Through supportive faculty and staff, and a program he loved, he
gained the confidence to approach people and make friends.
He emerged as a confident graduate in two years, and carried his new-
found attitude with him into his policing career.
"Georgian College taught me the value of community
policing, and the importance of being aware of the
situation and how to deal specifically with mental
health-related calls," he explains.
Thanks to his training in the Police Foundations
program, and in his first couple of years as a
constable with the South Simcoe Police Service,
Wazeer knew that mental health issues and
responding to mental health calls were part of
policing – and he was ready for it – but he saw a
substantial increase after the pandemic hit.
"The mental health-related calls have
significantly increased since the pandemic,"
he says. "COVID-19 has affected a lot more
individuals than we expected."
It's a two-way street. Police officers also have
to be tuned into their own mental health in
order to continue in their jobs safely and
effectively. Good mental health affects
everything in policing, from how officers
act with each other to how they conduct
themselves professionally.
"Building a positive relationship with the
community is one of the most important
things in policing. This is where proactive
versus reactive policing comes into play.
Instead of just responding to calls, it is very
important to proactively engage with the
community and build that trust," he says.
Wazeer pays forward the kindness he
received at Georgian, and is actively
volunteering with the international
community in Toronto with the hope that it
improves the mental health of others.
"What I learned from my teachers and my
coaches, I'm using everyday and sharing it with
others in the international community."
