The Altona Police Service recently welcomed two new members to its ranks.
Xerxes Tabunar, a resident of Altona since 2008, and Brent Krahn, born and raised in town, were officially sworn in during a ceremony last week.
Both officers expressed their enthusiasm for their new roles.
Tabunar says he’s excited to be a part of the Altona Police Service.
“I like this town a lot and now I get the chance to serve the residents here.”
He adds that he likes the variety of work involved in the police service.
“Every day will be a little different. My grandfather was a police officer in the Philippines, so I was inspired by that, too.”
Krahn says, “I wanted to serve my community in the best way possible. I served in the fire department for a while in Altona. I wanted something a little high-paced with the Town of Altona, and that brought me here. This came up and I threw my hat in the ring, and I’m super happy to be here and start this career. Being on scene to help people is what I’m looking forward to.”
The recruitment process involved interviews with four applicants vying for two available positions. Chief Dan Defer said that all four candidates were qualified.
“All four candidates had ties to Altona, but what stood out [with those selected] were their community service involvement and educational backgrounds.”
Defer emphasized the value of recruiting officers who come from the area.
“Applicants who come from our town tend to stay here,” he said. “They don’t seek employment elsewhere after training. Altona is their home, where they want to be, and where their roots lie. It was a tough choice among the four candidates, but ultimately, Xerxes and Brent were selected.”
Sgt. Shawn Tarnick noted longevity was definitely a factor in the hiring process.
“Through my studies I’ve done a bunch of work on it. We’re finding you get about 14 years of service when you hire local, and about four years of service when you hire outside. That’s huge. It’s not just the cost of equipment, it’s the training and the time we invest in them. As well, these guys show good quality character. They’re young men, who could be here for a long-term career, which works well with our succession plan. They both shine in different areas. We’re very fortunate, and I have a lot of positive stuff to say about them.”
The new recruits will undergo initial training locally before heading to the University of Regina’s Saskatchewan Police College. Their training begins on July 22, with graduation scheduled for Dec. 13.
Following completion of their field training, they will hit the road, ready to serve Altona and its residents.
