and sons, Miles and Elijah
A Canadian Policeman with Anguillian roots, Police Constable (PC) Arjei Franklin, visited Anguilla recently. He is the son of Anguillians, Steven and Cherrille Franklin of Bad Cox.
PC Franklin is attached to the Windsor Police Service in Ontario, Canada.
He spoke to The Anguillian about some of the highlights of his policing career.
One highlight, PC Franklin said, was a life-preservation incident in which he had played a pivotal role, and which earned him the St. John’s Ambulance Lifesaving Award.
This incident was reported in The Windsor Star newspaper and reads as follows:
“PC Franklin was dispatched to assist in an ambulance call for service at a residence. Information received indicated that there was a party advising that a child was not breathing. Upon his arrival on the scene, PC Franklin located two individuals kneeling at the rear door of the residence, performing CPR on the victim.
He immediately approached and assessed the victim’s vitals. The victim was not conscious and certainly was not breathing. PC Franklin immediately began CPR.
Recognizing that the residence was tucked away in a housing complex and it might have been difficult to locate, he decided it would be best to take the victim nearer to the street where the Windsor Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) and the EMS could easily locate them. So he urgently did, and continued the life saving measures. At this point the WFRS was on scene and continued with CPR procedures.
PC Franklin was awarded St. John’s Ambulance Lifesaving Award – Silver Level for his heroic efforts. It should be noted that this is the second lifesaving award that PC Franklin received in less than 2 years.”
The Anguillian asked PC Franklin what spurred his interest in taking up Policing as a career.
He noted that he had never intended to be a policeman, but a good friend of his, who is a cop, encouraged him to join the Force. He thought it was a great opportunity, for he was always keen on being of service to his fellowman.
“I initially did my basic constable training at the Ontario Police College in 2018. My good friend was a police officer with the Windsor Police Service, and he encouraged me to consider the profession,” he reflected. “I was thirty-five years of age when I made the decision to make the transition from teaching to policing, and the switch has been extremely rewarding.”
PC Franklin said that prior to his four-year teaching career he played professional football in the Canadian Football League for about seven years. He claims that he loved playing football, and he loved his teaching career, but that his career as a cop is most fulfilling for him now.
“I intend now to continue being a police officer and to see it through to the official end of my third career in life,” he said.
PC Franklin has been happily married for fifteen years to Afia, who is of Ghanaian heritage. Together, they have two young sons, Miles and Elijah.
The Anguillian congratulates Constable Franklin for his stellar service in the Force and wishes him future success in his career as an officer in the Windsor Police Service.
