Constable Neil McEachrane

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Becoming a police officer is one of the best things I could have done for myself, my family and my community.”

There is an anxiety surrounding police that just won’t go away. It is possible that there is a severe disconnect that is partly due to the history of policing, and partly what the media shows us. Who knew that it could be as simple as going out into the community and talking to people? “People see things or hear things happen and paint us all with the same brush,” explains this edition’s Classic Man Constable Neil McEachrane. “It is important for me to talk to the community and let them know police are just like they are. I am doing what I need to do everyday to break down barriers and develop a level of trust, which will help the community see that we are human beings.”

It was only after sitting down with Constable Neil McEachrane did I see why he makes the perfect Diversity and Recruitment Officer for the Windsor Police Service. He identifies with the needs of the community because he has maintained an active role within the community. Constable McEachrane is an outstanding example of what persistence, dedication, and a little support can do for a person. I would like to present to the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper readers, our esteemed Classic Man, Neil McEachrane.

Neil’s story does not start out as a happy one. His dad died when he was around eight or nine years old. His uncle who lived in Windsor, Ontario at the time urged his mother to send Neil and his brother to stay with him. Naturally, mom was reluctant to let her sons go, but eventually she gave in. He moved to Canada from the sunny islands of Trinidad & Tobago at the age of fourteen years old.

It was really tough for Neil. He had left his home and there was no connection to his West Indian roots. He was totally cut off. He wrote letters back and forth to his mom, but he was not able to go home or see her for seven years. It was a hard adjustment for Neil. The Canadian culture was unfamiliar to him, plus it was really cold. Nothing like the sandy beaches, bright, glaring tropical sun, and overall freedom that he was used to.

His saving grace came about a year into him moving to Canada. Someone brought him a Bob Marley’s greatest hits album, and he played this album over and over again. In that moment, it was his only connection to what he grew up used to. It was the sound of the West Indies, which for Neil at the time, was better then nothing.

The transition to high school is difficult for students who live in Canada; as you can imagine, the transition from another country and heading straight into high school was a challenge. “I hated high school,” Constable McEachrane tells me, “I was such an introvert. When other students were out at lunch hanging with friends, and eating lunch, I was in the library, looking up whatever I could find about the Caribbean.”

His library visits were helpful, but also sad at times too. It was here that he found out that one of Trinidad’s public figures, The Honourable Dr. Eric Eustace Williams, died on March 29^th, 1981. Dr. Williams served as the first Prime Minister’s of Trinidad & Tobago, form 1962 until his death in 1981. He was a noted historian and is identified as the father of organized party politics in Trinidad & Tobago. As you can imagine, it was difficult to be so disconnected from his culture. It was only after exiting high school Neil started to open himself up to a better life away from Trinidad.

College. Now college was a different story. It was here that Neil found himself. Of course, he fell into the trap that most college students fall into; partying, hanging out and not going to classes. “At one point, I think that my average was 0.92 out of 4.0.” In his defence, most students go through this. He was having fun for the first time in a long time. That type of lifestyle is easy to get caught up in.

Then came the day that he returned to Trinidad. “It was unreal. When I returned home, it was like I never left. Yes, things had changed, but my love for the country had not changed. For a while, I had to really take in the fact that I was home. It was amazing to see the family and friends I had left behind. Of course, the source of my joy was my mother. I was happiest to see her. “

 Neil took the time to enjoy Trinidad, and when he got back to Canada, he decided to take a different approach when it came to school. Neil enrolled at the University of Windsor, and this is when he met the woman who would change his life forever. “I have been married for 30 years. I have to say at this point that if it wasn’t for my wife, things may have turned out differently for me. She taught me how to study. She taught me how to balance my time. It is because of her that my entire educational career did a 360. I will always be thankful to her for taking the time to help me develop as a person.”

 His decision to become a police officer came after meeting a black East Coast police officer. Neil recognized instantly the difference in the way this officer did policing. His experiences with this officer completely changed his thought process. He knew that this was the role that he wanted to play in the community. He would be that police officer that helped people and connect with them at their individual levels.

If you want to find Constable McEachrane, looking for him at the station will be difficult. You are more likely to find him out in the community visiting schools, and working with you. For him, working with Windsor’s multicultural community and new Canadians has allowed him to relate with their struggles and have a better understanding of Windsor’s diverse community.