WENTWORTH CREEK, N.S. — Windsor’s newest staff sergeant has come full circle.
Cory Bushell was born in Windsor and attended Windsor Regional High School and then King’s-Edgehill (Grade 12) before heading to university and pursuing a career with the RCMP.
With a 21-year career with the RCMP, he’s returned to his roots to help make a difference as the staff sergeant for the Windsor RCMP detachment.
“My formative years were spent in Windsor, so I was really pleased that Windsor was an available opportunity at the time I was looking for a transition,” said Bushell, who started in the position on Sept. 4.
“It was No. 1, exactly what I was looking for and No. 2, it’s always something special to come back to a place that you’re familiar with and work amongst the people that you knew when you were younger and can help to grow the community with them.”
Bushell joined the RCMP in October 1997. He started his career in Bridgewater, transferred to Iqaluit, then Pangnirtung, in Nunavut, then to Digby, then to Enfield where he served as a supervisor. He also served in federal policing, where he ran the National Ports Enforcement Team, and at RCMP headquarters in Dartmouth, where he worked in the career development and resourcing section.
His final post before taking over the reins in Hants County was as an NCO in charge of RCMP regular member human resources for the Province of Nova Scotia.
“It’s been wonderful ever since (arriving). I had a very warm reception from the community and from our community partners. I’m enjoying the role thoroughly. The members here are fantastic. They’re all very highly engaged and dedicated to their work, dedicated to each other,” said Bushell.
“I can’t say enough positive things about my experience thus far.”
Bushell said being the district commander for the Windsor rural detachment offers the perfect blend of community policing and administrative duties.
“Coming from the HR role in the RCMP, my primary role and responsibility is to make this workplace an engaging, safe, productive workplace for the people that work here. I want my employees to be highly engaged,” said Bushell.
“My second goal is to enhance public safety in West Hants,” he said, noting while every community has similar issues, such as speeding and impaired driving, each one has its own set of unique challenges and issues to address.
Bushell said he’s hopeful the community will help determine what areas need to be addressed locally and become engaged citizens with a willingness to work with their policing partners.
As Windsor and West Hants municipal units work towards amalgamation, Bushell said he’s excited to see what positive opportunities will arise.
“We want to be part of that growth, we want to be part of that change. I’m excited about the twinning project, I’m excited about the downtown growth that’s happening, I’m excited about the consolidation,” said Bushell.
“Good things are happening. If the community gets engaged and really runs with this, positive things can happen and we really want to be a part of that as your policing organization,” he continued.
“We want to be part of that big change, part of that big excitement and part of that growth and hopefully the product that we have at the end is a new, reinvigorated Windsor-West Hants area, with economic development, with better wellness, with better public safety — with all the good things that make West Hants and Windsor a great place to live.”
Did you know?
We asked a few random questions to help you get to know Staff Sgt. Cory Bushell a bit better.
Favourite Colour: Blue
Favourite Food: Thai food
Favourite Sport: It continually changes. What I enjoy at this point in my life is watching my daughter play soccer, watching my son play basketball and I’m enjoying scuba diving.
Unusual Skill or Talent: Gosh, that’s a hard one... I have many, many pursuits; photography, woodworking, metalworking, cooking. I’ll try anything. I enjoy life, I enjoy trying new things. I’m one of the few instructors in Nova Scotia for riding dirt bikes. As much as I can get into. I just enjoy trying new things. If I have a talent, that’s my talent – I’m not afraid to try new things.
Fondest Memory of Policing Career: As soon as you say fondest memory, what floods to my mind are a hundred faces of thanks, of relief... it’s where you’ve done something to enhance somebody’s day or their wellness or safety. That’s what comes to mind. I can’t pick an incident. It’s a rush of 100 different faces.
