CCE student trades-in textbooks for police badge

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/policebadge.jpg” caption=”Ramy Lazar came across McMaster’s Centre for Continuing Education’s police studies program while searching for work at an employment centre. He is now a police officer with the Toronto Police Service. Photo via flickr.com/photos/webhostingreview.”]
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When Ramy Lazar arrived in Canada, having fled his home in war-torn Iraq, he had no money and couldn’t speak English.

Tonight, seven years later, he’ll not only graduate from the McMaster Centre for Continuing Education’s (CCE) police studies program having already been hired by the
Toronto Police Service, but he’ll also be recognized for his hard work and unyielding
determination with the program’s annual prize in social sciences.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “I have lots of friends coming out to help me celebrate.”

Lazar’s story is a familiar one for Canadian immigrants. After arriving in Canada
penniless
and without a recognized education, he worked any job he could find, usually earning
only
minimum wage. Recognizing that he had to improve his English skills, he spent much
of his
free time at the library, learning how to read, write and speak not his second or third
language, but his fourth (he already knew Arabic, Assyrian and Turkish).

“My life had to start completely from scratch,” said Lazar. “No one knows what you’ve
already accomplished. It was very difficult.”

Once he had improved his language skills, he began working as a translator for the
Settlement and Integration Services Organization, helping recent immigrants through
the
process of settling in Hamilton until they were able to function independently – a
process
he was intimately familiar with.

Later, while at an employment centre searching for jobs, Lazar came across a pamphlet
for
CCE’s police studies program. With encouragement from his girlfriend and friends as
well
as support from CCE staff, he enrolled in the program, fast-tracking in order to finish
as
quickly as possible. After being hired in Toronto and sent to Ontario Police College in
Aylmer, Ont., Lazar had to complete his last McMaster course on weekends, leaving his
instructors wondering how he could possibly juggle all of his commitments.

“It was tough, but I knew I had to do it if I wanted to become a police officer,” he said.
“So I
worked through it.”

Now patrolling the streets of Canada’s largest city, Lazar says that he became an officer
because he wanted to give something back to the country that changed his life. He also
says that he takes the job very personally because of his own experience.

“I’ve lived in places where no one will help you, I’ve been there,” he said. “So I want to
make
sure I’m able to help anyone in need.”

Evidently, he’s already doing just that. Lazar was able to put his language skills to use
his
second night on the job when he responded to a call that required an officer who
spoke
Arabic.

“Really, I just want to make a difference,” he said. “And in this line of work, I can.”

Lazar says that he thoroughly enjoyed the police studies program and credits CCE’s
instructors with giving him the theoretical grounding needed to successfully tackle the
Ontario Police College’s training program. He also says that he couldn’t have found a
better
career for himself.

“I love it. There’s always something different and I’m always learning,” he said. “Sure, I
didn’t become the prime minister, but I came to Canada, I made something of myself
and
I’m helping people.”

Certificates and diplomas will be presented by CCE tonight at a graduation reception
being
held at
Michelangelo’s Banquet Centre at 7 p.m. The event is in conjunction with the McMaster
Association of Part-time Students.

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[img_inline align="right" src="http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/policebadge.jpg" caption="Ramy Lazar came across McMaster's Centre for Continuing Education's police studies program while searching for work at an employment centre. He is now a police officer with the Toronto Police Service. Photo via flickr.com/photos/webhostingreview."]<!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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When Ramy Lazar arrived in Canada, having fled his home in war-torn Iraq, he had no money and couldn't speak English.

Tonight, seven years later, he'll not only graduate from the McMaster Centre for Continuing Education's (CCE) police studies program having already been hired by the
Toronto Police Service, but he'll also be recognized for his hard work and unyielding
determination with the program's annual prize in social sciences.

"I'm very excited," he said. "I have lots of friends coming out to help me celebrate."

Lazar's story is a familiar one for Canadian immigrants. After arriving in Canada
penniless
and without a recognized education, he worked any job he could find, usually earning
only
minimum wage. Recognizing that he had to improve his English skills, he spent much
of his
free time at the library, learning how to read, write and speak not his second or third
language, but his fourth (he already knew Arabic, Assyrian and Turkish).

"My life had to start completely from scratch," said Lazar. "No one knows what you've
already accomplished. It was very difficult."

Once he had improved his language skills, he began working as a translator for the
Settlement and Integration Services Organization, helping recent immigrants through
the
process of settling in Hamilton until they were able to function independently - a
process
he was intimately familiar with.

Later, while at an employment centre searching for jobs, Lazar came across a pamphlet
for
CCE's police studies program. With encouragement from his girlfriend and friends as
well
as support from CCE staff, he enrolled in the program, fast-tracking in order to finish
as
quickly as possible. After being hired in Toronto and sent to Ontario Police College in
Aylmer, Ont., Lazar had to complete his last McMaster course on weekends, leaving his
instructors wondering how he could possibly juggle all of his commitments.

"It was tough, but I knew I had to do it if I wanted to become a police officer," he said.
"So I
worked through it."

Now patrolling the streets of Canada's largest city, Lazar says that he became an officer
because he wanted to give something back to the country that changed his life. He also
says that he takes the job very personally because of his own experience.

"I've lived in places where no one will help you, I've been there," he said. "So I want to
make
sure I'm able to help anyone in need."

Evidently, he's already doing just that. Lazar was able to put his language skills to use
his
second night on the job when he responded to a call that required an officer who
spoke
Arabic.

"Really, I just want to make a difference," he said. "And in this line of work, I can."

Lazar says that he thoroughly enjoyed the police studies program and credits CCE's
instructors with giving him the theoretical grounding needed to successfully tackle the
Ontario Police College's training program. He also says that he couldn't have found a
better
career for himself.

"I love it. There's always something different and I'm always learning," he said. "Sure, I
didn't become the prime minister, but I came to Canada, I made something of myself
and
I'm helping people."

Certificates and diplomas will be presented by CCE tonight at a graduation reception
being
held at
Michelangelo's Banquet Centre at 7 p.m. The event is in conjunction with the McMaster
Association of Part-time Students.

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