Corporal Alan Nutini, a member of the RCMP

Corporal Alan Nutini a member of the RCMP for 24 years. — Photo courtesy Corporal Alan Nutini

For the past 11 years, Corporal Alan Nutini of the RCMP has been empowering East Kootenay youth to stay safe by highlighting education and prevention strategies.

Working under the Federal Serious and Organized Crime–Strategic Prevention Services department, Corporal Nutini focuses on programs such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)—a drug prevention program taught in schools by police officers to grade five students—and the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) program—a national program aimed at assisting youth in making smart choices.

Can you please provide a short biography of who you are and what your job entails?

My name is Alan Nutini and I have been a member of the RCMP for 24 years.  I began my policing career in Sechelt, B.C., and was transferred north to New Hazelton.  I returned south to Cranbrook and shifted my focus to education after 13 years of general duty policing.

 I now work for Federal Serious and Organized Crime–Strategic Prevention Services (formerly the Drug and Organized Crime Awareness Service). My primary focus has been drug prevention strategies for the East Kootenay region.  Programs such as DARE, PARTY and Project Defence fall under my prevention mandate.  With the recent changes and challenges facing our communities (youth), we are now tasked with prevention messages that deal with issues beyond drugs. We are continuing to address these challenges, and new this year will be the East Kootenay PARTY Program Youth Conventions 2015. The keynote speaker will be “Retro Bill” 

What is the favourite part of your job?

I love the opportunity to be creative and challenge the normative cultural behavior.  I am not a black-and-white person and see a great deal of problems that exist in the “grey” world.  My job gives me the opportunity to work with creative strategic people in the community, people that are inclined to give back and are looking for new and innovative ways to approach the health of our communities.

What do you enjoy about living in the Kootenays?

I love it here in the Kootenays.  The people are amazing, and I am a big fan of four seasons.  I grew up in the West Kootenay (Trail).  The Kootenays simply feel like home and there is no place I would rather be.

What tips would you give to someone looking to get into your career (i.e., What training or education helped you)?

First thing you need to do is pursue your education in any field that interests you.  I chose to do my B.A. in Criminology.  Talk to a variety of police officers about their job.  It is very important in my opinion that you truly understand what policing duties entail.  Take time to know who you are and where you might “fit” in policing.  Get some experience related to policing by volunteering.  The RCMP offers many different choices and directions you can go with your career but it takes planning, persistence and patience.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

The greatest skill I have learned in policing is to listen.  Our world can be overwhelming and crazy at times so it is a valuable tool in policing and prevention.  I feel lucky to have this job and have the great people of the East Kootenays to work with and for.