10 GEORGIANVIEW FALL 2021 DIGITAL EDITION
ORILLIA CAMPUS
Representation
matters in policing
Evan Gorman (class of 2013) experienced what seemed
like a lifetime of intensity and serious responsibility
before he ever stepped foot on Georgian's Orillia
Campus to take the Police Foundations program (PFP).
With 12 years in the Canadian Armed Forces – 8 1/2
months serving in Afghanistan – Evan wasn't like most of
the first-year students coming from high school. At the age
of 24, he had a serious edge to him that fostered respect.
"My time in Afghanistan certainly made me one of the
tougher nuts in the intake when I was going through
Police Foundations because the other students were a lot
younger, coming out of high school, and I was this 24-year-
old man who just came back from overseas," explains
Evan, who is now a constable with Rama Police Service.
"I was there for a serious purpose. I knew that I needed
to become a police officer and get my career started."
Evan's time in Afghanistan helped develop his life
skills and prepare him for the rigours of a career in
policing. "The stresses, shiftwork – I was accustomed
to that – and learning how to take care of myself
mentally was certainly important," he says.
As he was studying in the program, Canada was still
heavily involved in Afghanistan and it was still very
much in the news. Evan knew he was respected by his
instructors by how they treated him, but it became
much clearer to him at the graduate banquet.
He couldn't attend the full event due to a military
commitment, but he stopped in for a few minutes
wearing his military dress uniform. Instructor Robin
Laking was at the podium and had the full attention of
the room. When he saw Evan, he abruptly stopped.
"He said, 'Everybody, turn around and give a round of
applause for this Canadian hero,'" says Evan, recalling
the special moment. "That's something I'll never
forget. That's amazing. The entire Police Foundations
program was in attendance. That's pretty special."
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Evan was deployed to Afghanistan when he was 22 years old, in 2010.
He was there for 8 1/2 months.
