Exclusive Interview: Cpl. Karen Adams (Rtd.)

image

Career Overview:

  • Joined the RCMP in September 16, 1974 as part of the first female troop accepted as regular members of the force
  • Upon graduation in March 3rd,1974, posted to Thompson Municipal Detachment
  • August 1976, posted to Winning Drug Section
  • January 1990 posted to Selkirk Municipal Detachment, Selkirk Rural Detachment, and Selkirk Highway Patrol
  • August, 1986 posted to Winnipeg Drug Section
  • November, 1988, promoted to Cpl rank and transferred to Depot, Teaching in the
    Operational Training Unit, Law Unit and Human Relations Units
  • 1993 transferred to Thompson Municipal Detachment
  • 1995 transferred back to the Training Academy teaching in the Applied Police
    Science Units
  • 1998 transferred to the Canadian Law Enforcement Training Unit teaching federal government agencies in Canada and United States
  • July 2002- retired from the force

Lana: Karen, I am very honoured to conduct this interview with you.  You are an inspiration to women in policing today having broken down barriers and allowing us to pursue a career in law enforcement.  There are many articles written about you and of your experience being in the first female troop in the RCMP in 1974.  I would like to take a spin and also focus on you outside of that role to share with our readers.  What other roles did you hold other that being a police officer during your career and after retirement?

Karen: I’m assuming that you are interested in professional roles here. While still in the RCMP, I completed a Masters Degree in Adult Education. 5 days after I graduated from the University of Regina, I was hired by MacEwan University in Edmonton to head up the newly developed Aboriginal Policing Program (a certificate program) and to teach in the Policing Program and the Investigations Programs (Diploma Programs). I taught in those programs until I retired in 2013.  Besides my professional roles, I was a single parent from the time my youngster daughter was 2 1/2 months old and my oldest daughter was almost 4 years old. So I took on the role of both parents financially, physically and emotionally.

Lana: Did you take on any other roles while you were still a police officer?  

Karen: I was very involved with the various communities where I resided, mostly because of my daughters:

  • President of the Thompson Synchronized Swimming Club (2 Years)
  • Instructor for the Fraser Youth Pipe Band (5 years)
  • Assistant Coach for the Regina Church League Basketball Group (4 years)
  • Played with the Regina Police Pipe Band (2 years) and City of Regina
    Pipe Band (5 years)

Lana:  Karen, are there any roles that you still hold that is in support of or have a connection to policing?

Karen: I taught law enforcement agencies for the Government of Alberta on contract. I was Vice- President of Cowichan Community Policing and Engagement Society for 5 Years and I am a playing member of the “E” Division Pipe Band out of Vancouver (3 years).  I am presently a BC Marriage Commissioner (3 years) and a motivational speaker.  My most recent talks were at the RCMP Regimental Ball in Ottawa in October 2024, with CBC News at the Women’s Expo in Victoria in February 2022 and I have been part of numerous TV and Newspaper articles since 2002.  I am also an author.  I wrote my memoir “Woman in Scarlet” documenting the good, the bad and the ugly of my 28 year career with the RCMP as one of the first female members.

Lana: What skill sets are developed in policing and how that can be transferred to other careers/roles after retirement?

Karen: Skill sets developed in policing that are transferable to other careers:

  • Active Listening
  • Persuasiveness
  • Attention to detail
  • Community awareness
  • Critical thinking
  • Interpersonal communication
  • High Moral Standards
  • Empathy
  • Teamwork
  • Assertiveness
  • Task Oriented
  • Investigative Skills
  • Interviewing Skills

There are so many skills that a police officer develops and are so transferable to a second career. The biggest skill is effective communication skills that police officers develop. The ability to communicate effectively in any situation and understanding  how verbal and non-verbal communication affect relationships in the workplace. It’s those skills which are so vital in a job interview for example. Diplomacy is also a big part of being a great communicator. That’s why so many retired police officers go on to have such great second careers. For me, communication skills that I developed in the RCMP, plus my desire for life long learning enabled me to have a great career at MacEwan University in Edmonton. I taught at MacEwan for 11 years!

Potential employers also like the fact that police officers are integral, honest and trust worthy and every potential employer desires those traits in their employees.

As police officers, we are also accustomed to working in a team environment.  When  I was working at MacEwan University, the teaching staff worked as a team to ensure that the needs of the students were being met. A great example was when I headed up the Aboriginal Policing Program. It was a partnership with the Government of Alberta, RCMP and MacEwan University. As a team, a curriculum was developed and taught with the objective of preparing the learners to pass the RCMP entrance exam, to be successful at PARE, then to attend Depot and eventually graduate.  Being culturally sensitive was also a huge asset for me in building trust and communication with my aboriginal students. I’m still in contact with many of them and it’s been 22 years since they graduated from my program.

As an investigator we develop a real sense of determination. It was that determination that kept me moving forward when I was writing my memoir, Woman in Scarlet. I had no idea what I was doing but I never gave up until the manuscript was written, until it was edited and then published.

Lana: Thank you very much again for being part of our Special Feature.  What advice or words of wisdom would you give to women who are currently in policing?

Karen: Well the one thing that I would like to leave with women in policing today is that the world is your oyster. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve something! Today women have the opportunity to accomplish whatever they want to accomplish if they are willing to work hard and earn the positions. Many barriers that were placed in front of me in my career have disappeared. In the RCMP for example, every leadership position has now been filled with a woman. Wow, we’ve come a long way!

My second piece of advice to women in policing today is to take care of your mental health. To seek professional assistance in dealing with the trauma that we all experience in policing.  That trauma can be internal to the organization or external in the communities that you serve. Uncared for trauma doesn’t just affect you, it also affects your family and can affect your family for many generations.


October 10, 2024