North Bay police officer awarded for work in mental health and addictions

North Bay officer receives special award The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police awarded North Bay police Const. Sue Solman the Heroes Beyond the Badge award Tuesday.

Around the North Bay police station, Const. Sue Solman is known for her cheery attitude, infectious smile and for always making time to talk to other officers about things they encounter on the beat.

"Watching the shift in the culture made it really easy to share that important message too that we need to take care of ourselves," Solman told reporters.

Tuesday morning, in partnership with OnStar Canada, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) presented her with the Heroes Beyond the Badge award Tuesday.

She began her policing career in March 2000 when she accepted a position as a special constable with the North Bay Police Service.

Growing up, she knew she wanted to be a police officer. Her grandfather was with the OPP and her father retired as a North Bay police sergeant.

"I wanted to be able to serve my community and do the best as I can," Solman said.

"If we don't take care of ourselves, we're not going to be able to show up and do the job that we need to. That trickles down into our personal life."

Four of the awards are given out each year to police officers or civilians for making silent, subtle differences every day.

“Sometimes there are heroes out there beyond the badge doing their job and making a difference," said Joe Luis Couto, OACP’s director of government relations and communications.

"It became very clear to us that this is a very special officer. Our officers are under tremendous pressure because of the nature of their jobs. They need to know their fellow officers and members of their community have their backs."

Solman is being recognized for her years of dedicated service, her leadership in the North Bay Police Services mobile crisis team and her membership on the North Bay sexual assault review committee.

"It’s important (to have) that compassion and that empathy. These are the folks having the worst day of their life," she said.

"So, I've educated myself on a lot of things that could potentially help the person or not help the person."

In 2018, Solman was assigned to the victim’s services coordinator position, where she advanced her skills and knowledge when dealing with victims of crime, specifically intimate partner violence and sexual assault.

She became the liaison officer for the sexual assault review committee, working alongside Victim Services Nipissing District to bring awareness around human trafficking.

Solman was invited to give students at Nipissing University and Canadore College a police perspective regarding human trafficking, intimate partner violence and elder abuse.

In 2020, she was assigned to her current position, working alongside nurses at the hospital to help people battling addiction or mental health challenges.

"I wanted some more visibility with that team. So, I asked them to wear uniforms and spend a little bit more time downtown with our vulnerable population," said police chief Daryl Longworth.

"She was more than willing to do that."

Solman calls the award a great honour and testament, crediting the work she and her colleagues do every day in the name of public safety.

"Everybody is a hero," she said.