A Collingwood OPP sergeant is hanging up her hat on a 30-year career this week.
For this week’s edition of People of Collingwood we spoke with Pauline Ottoson, retired Collingwood OPP Sergeant
Q: Where did you grow up?
I grew up on a farm north of Bowmanville.
I went to Durham College for law and security administration.
Q: When did you start your law enforcement career?
A: I started with the OPP in 1993, when I was 21. I was assigned to the Shelburne capture (area), which is now called Dufferin.
In 1999, I transferred to Northern Ontario for three years. In 2002, I came to Collingwood. I've been here ever since.
Q: Did you request to come to Collingwood?
A: So if you do a northern duration, which I did between 1999 and 2002, you can choose any detachment in the province. Once there's an opening, then that's where they let you go.
So I chose Collingwood.
When I was in Shelburne, I came up here and skied and hiked, so I wanted to come back to this area.
Q: Have you always known that you wanted to be in law enforcement?
A: No, I didn't really.
When I was in high school, Grade 11, I had a really good guidance counsellor there who is also one of my coaches.
There was a new computer-based aptitude test that told you what kind of careers you're geared to.
So I just answered questions. All of a sudden it came up with police and law enforcement. So that’s where I went.
Q: What parts of law enforcement appealed to you?
A: Everything could be different every day. It was potentially fast-paced, and interesting, exciting and just challenging. Every every day was something new. You're always learning in policing. It's not stagnant.
I wasn't cut out to be in an office.
I got to be outside, with people and dealing with the public.
It was the it was like a social setting and included in in that employment. The OPP offered the opportunity to move around the province and see different areas, meet different people and do different jobs.
Q: When you were working as a police officer, did you have a specific beat?
A: I started as a constable on the road in Shelburne.
And then I did some, some criminal investigation work within the Shelburne detachment. When I was up north, I was on the road and doing traffic tickets, because the Trans Canada runs through it.
When I came to Collingwood, I started going into the supervisory part.
I got promoted in 2010 to a sergeant. I got into the recruitment side, which was amazing.
I did a few different things, but for the most part, my career has been mostly on the road.
Q: Do you have any standout stories from your 30-year career that you might be willing to share?
A: I've investigated homicides, double homicides and violent crimes against people, which is unfortunate.
Of course, that's part of the job.
But there’s also the good side, like with our youth in town. I tried to get into the schools and into the community and meet people and volunteer my time, both on-duty and off-duty.
Q: You're retiring after a 30-year policing career. Would would you have any advice for new recruits?
A: The OPP is hiring right now. We're looking for really good candidates. Although you only have to have high school, (doing) police foundations is a bonus.
When I was a constable, I was also a coach officer. I've coached a lot of people.
In general, be energetic. Be willing to learn. You want to soak it all in.
You should want to be there not just as a job because it pays the bills, but also because you really want to do it.
Be a little quieter, and listen more to senior officers. You’ll learn so much. Get involved in the community. That actually makes a really successful police officer.
After a 30 yr career with #OPP, last night Sgt Ottoson took her final 10-7 at the #CwoodOPP. #Thankyou for your service! #BestJobEver #OPPWomen ^tm pic.twitter.com/8sx94rDHpL
— OPP Central Region (@OPP_CR) May 1, 2023
Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of policing?
A: I like to hike up in the mountains. I'm learning how to mountain bike up there, which is challenging.
I play a lot of beach volleyball and snowboard. I have a lot of friends here. We do a lot together.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like people in Collingwood to know about you?
A: I’d like to thank Collingwood. They've all made me a part of their community here in many different ways and it's been great.
My son was born and raised here, and he's still here as well.
This is my home. This is our home now. I came here because of my job, but it's the community of Collingwood that has let me stay here and made me want to stay here.
For our feature People of Collingwood, we speak with interesting people who are either from or are contributing to the Collingwood community in some way, letting them tell their own stories in their own words. This feature runs on CollingwoodToday every weekend. If you’d like to nominate or suggest someone to be featured in People of Collingwood, email [email protected].
