NIPAWIN — Nipawin’s newest detachment commander Sgt. Terry Posnikoff is a returnee to the community where he started his career over two decades ago.
“Nipawin is home for my wife. It’s a place that we sort of always wanted to get back to, it always felt like home. We have family here and we always enjoyed the community,” Posnikoff said. “It was high on our list as things to do to get back here.”
Growing up on a farm in Yorkton, Posnikoff started with the Nipawin RCMP in 1995 where he worked as an auxiliary constable for about five years, and met his would-be spouse.
After Nipawin, he went to Regina for the RCMP Depot Division, before going to Kamsack where he would work until 2005. From there, he moved to Hudson Bay until 2009, commanding it for the last two years. After Hudson Bay, he worked with the Melville and Ituna detachments, commanding the Ituna RCMP. Other areas he would work as commander include Estevan, Wynyard, Wadena and Foam Lake.
While in Kamsack, Posnikoff was part of the organizing effort for Saskatchewan’s first Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) Program. Now an annual program in many communities across Saskatchewan, PARTY is designed to teach students that driving impaired or while texting has serious consequences.
While it was different this past year due to the pandemic, the program is a partnership between different agencies which has students watch a demonstration of a vehicle extrication and listen to presentations from experts such as the RCMP, emergency room nurses, addictions counselors, the hospital therapies department, funeral home director and coroner, and/or survivors.
“I then went on a roadshow getting it established in another two dozen communities around the province, and it kind of took off,” Posnikoff said. “It was so well received anywhere it was and we saw such immediate results from the program amongst the kids it was sort of its own advertising.”
As detachment commander, Posnikoff said he hopes to work with local groups and programs and help community members to get back on their feet so they don’t have to go back to crime.
“I’m not here to invent the wheel, but I’ll add my support to existing programs. Often times it’s the programs towns themselves put in place, it’s also programs that the province [uses] through Social Services, or other work programs, employment programs— that kind of thing.”
Outside of work, Posnikoff said he is an outdoorsman, enjoying ATVs, fishing, hunting and sports. His hope as commander is to bring a high-level of morale into the detachment.
“I’ve always concentrated on public safety and safer homes and communities. Crime reduction has always been sort of a hallmark of places I’ve gone. That has always been a big priority for me – crime reduction,” he said. “[I’ve] focused a lot on prolific offenders , reducing the rate of repeat offenders.”
Posnikoff introduced himself to Nipawin council at their regular meeting on July 12.
