Public safety 56-member unit recently took a two-day course on how to handle public unrest

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SAINT JOHN - One day, Staff Sgt. Glen McCloskey found himself nearly being overwhelmed by a group of enraged refinery strikers. The labour dispute had turned ugly and the police found themselves being pushed around without the proper equipment or tactics they needed to respond.

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Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-Journal

The public saftey unit of the Saint John Police Force underwent some serious training recently at the Barrack Green Armouries.

Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-Journal

Sgt. Phil Glavin, right, played the part of an intoxicated man who didn’t want to leave after a concert.

"We were at a gate and essentially the police were pushed around because we didn't have the proper unit in place," McCloskey said.

'We tried, but we didn't have enough people and we were being pushed around."

The bitter two-year strike ended in 1994.

"We realized at that point in time that we had to look at different avenues, what we had been doing."

The Saint John Police Force then formed its public safety unit.

The more common term is riot squad, but images of well protected officers beating on shields and goose stepping down the road to quell public unrest is not what the unit is about.

"We certainly don't do that, we're not here to intimidate anyone," McCloskey said.

Regardless, it's an intimidating sight.

"The people who are demonstrating against whoever it is inside have the same rights as, well they have the same rights as the people inside and the people inside have the same rights as the demonstrators."

The 56-member unit - the numbers fluctuate depending on operational constraints - was recently training at the Barrack Green Armouries. As the unit moves like a dark coloured wave across the floors, instructors yelling commands intertwine with unit members barking instructions at imaginary protagonists.

"It's not that we're protecting one group or the other," said McCloskey, the unit's commander. "We're there to protect whomever needs to be protected."

McCloskey said never suiting up in the gear - shin guards, elbow pads, fireproof balaclava, helmet, boots, carrying the baton and shield - would suit him and the members of the squad just fine.

"We never want to get into a role that we have to use the shields and helmets, obviously that's for our protection as well as everyone as else. If the police officer's safety is at risk, then I guess the public isn't safe either."

During the training, the members of the unit undulate across the floor like a dark blue wave, but each six-member unit surges forth and then drops back depending on the formation called for or if a unit needs to be relieved.

Staff Sgt. Russ Cook of the Toronto Metro Police was the lead instructor at the two-day course. Last year, the public safety unit was pressed into service 18 times in Canada's largest city.

"The public still believes the units are reactive, but that's changing," said Cook. "If anything, we're more proactive."

Talking is now the first step in crowd management and psychology is an important part of the training.

"We want them, whenever they're moving forward, whatever they're doing, to communicate - tell the person what you want them to do."

The officers are also trained never to back a crowd into a corner and always give them an exit.

"If you want the crowd to move back, just ask them," Cook said.

Having such a unit, McCloskey said, is a matter of being prepared for all eventualities.

"You have to be ready for whatever transpires," McCloskey said. "Hopefully nothing ever transpires in Saint John, but we certainly need to be ready because if we're not than that's probably the day that's something going to happen and we're not prepared."