ESTEVAN — Jamie Blunden, the new police chief for Estevan, officially took over the role on Sept. 3, after leaving his position as chief of the Weyburn Police Service.
With over three decades in law enforcement, Blunden brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to community policing, transparency and servant leadership.
Career rooted in law enforcement
Blunden's journey into policing actually started with his childhood passion for hockey in Ontario. He played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Dauphin Kings, under renowned NHL coach Barry Trotz, which taught him the value of teamwork and leadership. However, a career in law enforcement always called to him.
"Halfway through the year in Dauphin, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement," Blunden said.
He earned a degree in criminology from the University of Manitoba, and almost immediately after writing his last exam, he began his training at the police academy. Blunden launched his policing career in 1990 at the Winnipeg Police Service, starting in uniform operations before moving into more specialized roles.
Over his 30-year career in Winnipeg, Blunden held various leadership positions. He worked on an emergency response unit, was promoted to sergeant, was in charge of staffing, then was promoted to inspector. From there, he ended up as a commissioned officer, looking after the comm centre and various districts. During his final years in Winnipeg, he was an inspector overseeing specialized investigations involving complex crimes such as child abuse, sex crimes and missing persons cases, where he was working under former Estevan Police Chief Rich Lowen, who was a superintendent in charge of specialized investigations at that time.
"I never really wanted to go past 20 years, but law enforcement and policing – I just love it. There's no better career. I really am passionate about it," Blunden reflected on his dedication to the profession.
After retiring from Winnipeg, Blunden took over the role of the police chief in Weyburn in May 2020, where he served for over four years before the opportunity in Estevan arose.
Leadership style and priorities
Blunden describes his leadership style as one centred on servant leadership, emphasizing collaboration, communication and empowering his team.
Talking about his leadership style, Blunden recalled an address to the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police by Walter Natynczyk, who is a former chief of defence staff for the Canadian Armed Forces.
"He talked about leadership, and his comment was this: 'The sooner that you can determine success and identify what success is to you, the sooner you can remove that yoke of ambition off your shoulder and start leading and living your values. And the values are integrity, trust, transparency,'" Blunden recollected.
"I think I've been fairly successful. ... So, I'm not ambitious anymore. I'm passionate. I love policing. I don't think there's a better job in the world. So [for me], servant leadership is about looking after everybody around you. That's what my style is.
"Servant leadership is about empowering people around you, giving them the ability to grow and develop, and giving them a voice at the table," he said.
Blunden plans to sit down with every member of the Estevan Police Service individually to gather insights and perspectives.
He emphasized the importance of building relationships with the officers, the police board and the wider community, highlighting that effective policing is rooted in strong connections and trust.
"Policing is about relationships - relationship with the members, relationship with your board, and relationship with the community," Blunden said.
Addressing community concerns
Blunden's initial approach as Estevan's new chief will focus on listening and understanding the needs of the community, the police service and other stakeholders.
"I told the board when I was interviewing with them that I'm going to listen to what the membership, what the community has to say, what the board has to say. The priorities of mine are going to be the priorities of the community," Blunden said.
Mental health, addictions and minor crimes such as mischief and theft are among the key issues Blunden aims to address. He noted that these social problems often fall to the police when other support systems are lacking.
"We have to have those go-to places for us to be able to get the help for those individuals, whether it's addictions, whether it's mental health," he said, stressing the need for strong relationships with health-care providers and non-governmental organizations.
He plans to advocate for better support systems and resources to help individuals struggling with these problems, which often fall outside the traditional scope of policing but still impact public safety.
Blunden is also aware of the challenges posed by crime statistics in small communities like Estevan, where a few critical incidents can skew data. He emphasizes the importance of evidence-based policing and careful analysis of trends over multiple years rather than short-term fluctuations.
"Data is really important. Evidence-based policing is really, really important nowadays. You can't just go on what you think," he said.
Technology and transparency in policing
A significant focus for Blunden will be enhancing the transparency and accountability of the Estevan Police Service through technology among other means. One of the key changes he addressed is the introduction of the next-generation 911 system coming next year that will allow people to provide more information, including photos and videos when reporting emergencies. It will modernize how the service handles emergency calls and dispatching.
The new system will also allow for better data analysis and reporting, helping the police identify crime hotspots and track their effectiveness.
"The 911 system that's going to be new is going to create a new computer-aided dispatch for us in Estevan. That's going to be a different sort of program for the members but it's going to give opportunity for us to analyze a little bit more and show a little bit more data," Blunden explained.
He believes that a more robust reporting structure will allow the community to better understand what the police are doing and why.
Technology is playing an increasingly crucial role in modern policing, Blunden said, from AI-driven crime analysis to surveillance and body cameras. However, he is mindful of the financial and logistical challenges that small departments face in adopting new technologies. He indicated an openness to explore new technological solutions while balancing costs.
Blunden also advocates for greater public engagement and visibility of police officers within the community. He plans to increase the police presence at community events and improve communication through social media, news updates and other channels.
He also asks for the community to be more engaged.
"The police are only as good as the community, and the community's got to be engaged a little bit too. ... If you see something going on in your backyard that seems a little out, give us a call. If you see somebody driving erratically and it looks like they're impaired, please give us a call. Those are the things that we need. We have members on the street, but they can't be everywhere at one time. And the community is going to be safer if the members in the community participate," Blunden explained.
Looking ahead in Estevan
Blunden is optimistic about his future in Estevan and is committed to leading the police service through a collaborative, community-focused approach.
"I'm really looking forward to being in Estevan," he said, adding that he is eager to get involved in local events and connect with residents.
While his wife still cheers for Weyburn Red Wings, he said he will be supporting the Estevan Bruins and try to convert her to black and gold as well.
"I'm absolutely wearing black and gold. I have already made that commitment. You fight for the team you're on. I'm on Team Estevan," Blunden said. "It doesn't mean my heart doesn't still stay a little bit with Weyburn and I guarantee that I still will watch some games and enjoy them. But if it ever came down to in-between, I'm certainly going to put the [Weyburn] Chief VanDeSype into black and gold."
Playing hockey and participating in triathlons are now in the past, and the farm where his family resides is their main source of hobbies, Blunden said.
"With the farm, a lot of hobbies are to do with animals. We do have horses on our farm, a couple of rescue dogs. My wife is a retired police officer, but she's into rescue cats, she volunteers with a trap, neuter, release program [in the southeast], and we've got 40 cats at our place," Blunden said. "It gives us lots to do ... and I enjoy it."
As he settles into his new role, he plans to listen, learn and work closely with the community to ensure Estevan remains a safe and welcoming place for all.
