LUSELAND – The residents of Luseland can rest a little easier now that the new police chief has come to town.
When previous chief Nate Ekstrand stepped down from his post, one eager young man from Cactus Lake was keen to step up. Ty Kohlman had always wanted to be a police officer but knew the chances of being close to home were slim. When the position opened, he knew it would be a great fit for him.
“I spent several years serving in a volunteer capacity as a firefighter and medical first responder. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement,” said Kohlman.
Taking on this new position would require Kohlman to attend the Saskatchewan Police College for five months of training, followed by a field training program. This left the Town of Luseland without a local police service for roughly 10 months.
“I was able to apply and build upon the skills I had learned during Police College and also get hands-on experience,” said the recruit.
With fast-paced training and a new learning experience every day, Kohlman had Cst. Ekstrand, Chief Mochoruk and Cst. Holeha throughout his training.
“I was very fortunate to have spent my field training working with these exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable officers,” said Kohlman.
Kohlman is fortunate to be close to his family, who has been supporting him throughout this career choice.
“It’s a job like no other and they are happy for me that I’m finally able to live out my dream. My mom has her concerns with the career choice, but she has been very good at hiding it,” he laughed.
Although Kohlman is the first in his family to enter the field of law enforcement, he has had numerous other family members that worked within emergency services.
Now that Kohlman is finally settling into his new life and career in Luseland, his presence in the community has been well received.
“My first few days here have been incredible. The amount of support and outreach I’ve received from the community is very humbling and appreciated. It’s clear to see that Luseland is a hard working community where everybody supports everybody and I’m proud to be a part of that now,” added Kohlman.
Within his first month on the job, Kohlman was one of the many targets at the annual Harvest Festival at the dunk tank, which was one of the many fundraisers held throughout the day.
“The number one highlight of my career thus far is getting to meet some amazing people I may have never met if I weren’t in this profession. Whether it was in Police College, field training or for the short time I have been in Luseland, I’ve created relationships that will last a lifetime and I’m truly grateful for that.”
Kohlman is looking forward to creating healthy relationships and spreading educational awareness in the hopes of preventing crime.
“If I can help to influence people to make responsible and safe decisions, then I know I have been successful,” he said.
During his off-duty time, the new chief can be found helping on his family’s farm near Cactus Lake, spending time with his family or just being outdoors.
