3 officers transfer out of Summerside Police Department

Three officers with the Summerside Police Department have taken jobs with the Cape Breton Regional Police Services.

Constables Mike Jones, Ricky MacLeod and Travis Turner are back home in Cape Breton after working in Summerside, P.E.I.

The three left the Island in the last couple of weeks, Jones said.

'Great place to start'

The three men grew up together in Cape Breton and got to know each other playing hockey.

Jones began his career in Summerside and spent four years in the department.

"It was a great place to start," he said. "And it would have been a great place to spend my whole career."

He said his reasons for leaving were simple. "Just home, that's all it is. Just to be around family and friends."

"There's no negative spin on this."

'Great pool to choose from'

Constable Turner had been on the force since 2014 as a part-time officer, while MacLeod and Jones both worked full-time and had been with the department since 2012, and 2014 respectively.

Corporal Jennifer Driscoll of the Summerside Police Department said that having three members leave simultaneously is not common.

"Cape Breton was hiring a number of officers and they had a great pool to choose from with the members in Summerside."

"The fact three of us were all taken from the same department really speaks volumes about the types of officers coming out of Summerside," Jones said.

'Hidden Gem'

Driscoll said two of the positions have already been filled by part-time officers.

Jones said that the department's part-time officers are "more-than qualified," to step into the role.

"It's a hidden gem in the Maritimes … in terms of everybody getting along and the types of officers that work there."

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