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Date: Wed Nov 5 17:58:51 2008
Subject: CPS HIRES ESL GRADS
From: Michelle Dassinger
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CITYBEAT - CITY OF CALGARY PRESS RELEASE
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It was a dream that at one time, seemed unattainable. But
just one year after enrolling in the Calgary Police Service’s
English as a Second Language (ESL) program, three new
Canadians are becoming Calgary police officers.
New recruit Benazir Bawal starts classes this Thursday,
Nov. 6, 2008. Bawal hails from Afghanistan and moved to
Canada in 1997. Her goal was to get a better education and
improve her living conditions.
“My parents always told me stories about back home and what
they had to go through. My father and brother were in the
Afghan army and I decided to become a police officer to make
a difference by serving my community,” said Bawal.
She says the ESL program was critical to her success.
“It has helped me a lot. It improved my communication skills,
grammar, and vocabulary. Without the ESL program I wouldn’t
have been successful this fast,” she said.
Bawal was one of 60 students who entered the CPS ESL program
hoping it would help her improve her English enough to become
a police officer.
Cst. Josef Chudy was in the same ESL class. He moved to
Canada from Slovakia in 2003 and was determined to join the
Calgary Police Service. In December 2007 he graduated the ESL
program, was hired, completed his 20-weeks training and
graduated recruit class last Friday. This week, he started
his new job as a Constable in District 6.
“I love it. This was the best decision that I ever made. This
is something I always wanted to do and I’m doing it,” said
Chudy.
The CPS ESL program launched in November of 2007 and was
designed to assist strong applicants like Bawal and Chudy in
improving their English skills to make them competitive in
the application process. One year later, three have been
hired and many others have made significant improvements.
“Recruiting is one of the Service’s top priorities and hiring
to reflect the cultural make-up of Calgary is also very
important to the Calgary Police Service,” said Staff Sgt.
Craig Skelton.
"The ESL program helps us overcome the language barrier that
sometimes can be an impediment to applicants," he said.
http://www.gov.calgary.ab.ca/citybeat/public/2008/11/release.20081105_175851_11404_0 01/07/2009

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All three applicants are excited about their success and
their new careers as police officers.
For more information about how to join the Calgary Police
Service, visit the CPS Recruiting Unit website at
calgarypolice.ca or phone 403-206-8483 or 1-866-CPS-HIRE.
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Public Contact Information:
CPS Recruiting 1-866-CPS-HIRE
403-206-206-8483
calgarypolice.ca/recruiting
Public Email Contact:
cpsrecruiting@calgarypolice.ca
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http://www.gov.calgary.ab.ca/citybeat/public/2008/11/release.20081105_175851_11404_0 01/07/2009