An Ottawa-based non-profit says it was “shocked” that the force broke ties without talking to them first
Kelsey Muise couldn’t help but laugh when the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary posted in late January about Bell Let’s Talk Day, a national corporate effort to help people with mental illness.
The former officer retired months before the RNC posted on social media about getting rid of the stigma. Officers wore blue knitted hats and held “Let’s Talk” signs.
Muise is now ready to talk.
“It’s not a question of if people will start killing themselves here, but when,” Muise told CBC News in a recent interview.
Muise is speaking out because she says the force quietly got rid of its equine therapy program, which was meant to help other officers and first responders and bring the community together. She said that the program’s failure is a sign of a much bigger problem in the force.
Muise said that people with mental illness are not getting the right care, and she worries about the officers who stay on the job.
I knew I would have to make some tough decisions. I knew there would be trauma and things I didn’t want to see. “Muise” said this about her job as a cop.
“But I didn’t think that my boss would be one of my biggest opponents.”
The RNC never told the public it was ending the program or that one of its horses, Muise’s partner Dr. Rich, had been put out to pasture. Muise said that the thing that hurt her the most was when the RNC sent her partner, a Percheron, to another province without telling her.
Muise said that she was given a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis in 2015 because of a series of events in her career. Because of her disorder, she was put in a hospital and went to Ontario to get help.
She thought she was done with her work. After being sick for 18 months, Muise met with the chief at the time, Joe Boland. He suggested that she work with the mounted unit.
She said that it gave her career a new start and that the work became her “passion and what I think my real reason for being there was.”
Muise worked with the mounted unit for three years and learned how to be an equine therapist. Horse-assisted therapies improve both physical and mental health and are led by people who work in mental health. The program is based on the fact that horses can understand human emotions and body language.
Muise was in charge of a pilot project that used horses to help first responders, like RNC members, and people in the wider community. She did a lot of eight-week sessions with people who were at risk because they were poor, had mental health problems, or were addicted to drugs.
I think it was great that we could talk about that with the police. And as you can see, it’s kind of shut down without any explanation, openness, or talk about it. “I kind of feel like it’s going backwards.” – Ryan Theriault
Muise said that it broke down barriers in the community and made it possible for people to trust and connect with the RNC in a way that hadn’t been possible for a long time.
“I think it gave people a chance to see us, the police, as real people,” Muise said. “Most people in the neighborhood don’t approach a police car; they approach a police horse instead.”
Boland will step down as chief at the end of July 2021. In August 2021, Patrick Roche, who had been the commanding officer for Corner Brook and Labrador before he retired, took over the job temporarily. In the summer of that year, Roche said that two Newfoundland ponies would join the therapy program. Muise said that work had started when Boland was in charge.
In a news release from August 19, 2021, the force said, “The RNC continues to move forward with its safety and wellness strategy and sends heartfelt thanks to the community partners who work so hard to build safe and healthy communities together.”
Roche turned down a request for an interview about the equine therapy program.
The RNC was sent a list of questions that were not answered by CBC News.
‘Change in management
But Muise said that the RNC’s priorities had changed, and it didn’t look like the equine therapy program was one of them.
Muise said that the ponies had never been used for what they were made for. The person who gave one of the ponies and some equipment said to CBC News that he was told to get back the pony and the things he gave. He now has to pay to keep the horse.
Muise said, “As soon as there was a change in management, things got worse.”
In February 2022, Roche was given the job of leader for good. He told the reporters that the mental health of police officers was one of his top priorities.
“We have to treat our members’ mental health problems in a way that keeps them from getting worse.” How do we do that, though? We need to get help from people who know a lot about that subject “At the time, Roche told reporters.
In the same month, Muise took a sick day.
“It was just hard for me to keep going, so there were always things in my way that made it hard for me to keep going with my programs,” Muise said.
Muise said that before she went on sick leave, she was told she couldn’t talk to groups or organizations that wanted to set up equine therapy sessions. Instead, they were told to talk to someone else in the RNC who would do the coordinating.
- RNC is working with Rainbow Riders to give first responders with PTSD an equine therapy program.
Muise said, “I don’t even know if anyone else ever got back to them.” “They just stopped because I was told I could no longer make them happen myself.”
Muise held four retreats for first responders with occupational stress injuries through the Heroes Equine Learning Program in Ottawa. She said that there were retired RNC and RCMP members, veterans, paramedics, and firefighters among them.
She said that things were getting better until that stopped too.
“I felt like a loser.” Very sad. but also very angry, because these programs had already been shown to work, and it was clear how much they were helping the community.”
‘Biggest knife to my back
Muise kept going to Rainbow Riders to see her partner, Dr. Rich, even though she was sick.
Until one day, he was gone.
“At that point, I was pretty sure I probably wouldn’t go back to the RNC.” A lot of damage had been done. “This was the worst thing that could have happened,” Muse said.
“I couldn’t say goodbye because they wouldn’t let me. They wouldn’t let me know anything about what was going on with him.
Muise said that the horse had surgery on Prince Edward Island, where there is a veterinary hospital. She said that the horse was sick but had gotten much better since being moved to Rainbow Riders. The horse did not come back because of the RNC.
Emails given to CBC News show that Muise had to hire a lawyer to find out where the RNC moved the horse. The RNC did not make a big deal about Dr. Rich’s retirement, which is what they usually do when a service animal leaves the force.
“I was home sick. This person was my friend. “They knew how much we cared about each other in our relationship, and it broke my heart.”
“I have no idea how someone could do that.”
Muise quit his job as a police officer in September after 20 years on the job.
‘It was a shock
Ryan Theriault is one of the people who started the Heroes Equine Learning Program. This is a non-profit group that helps first responders and military members get therapy. It has a four-day residential program with horses and a professional in mental health.
Last month, Theriault talked about how surprised he was when the RNC cut ties with his group from his home in Nova Scotia.
“I thought we were getting along great,” Theriault said. “I think it was great that we could talk about that with the police.” And as you can see, it’s kind of shut down without any explanation, openness, or talk about it. I feel like it’s going in the wrong direction.
“We were surprised to see that. You know, does it have to do with money? Is it because of the show? What does it mean? “It wasn’t talked about at all.”
Aside from a $150 registration fee, there is no cost to the person or organization.
Theriault said that police departments across Canada have been reluctant to join the therapy program, and he thinks he knows why.
“They don’t want to believe that their members need help.” They want to do everything [on the inside]. So it seems like they’re almost hiding it because they don’t want people to know that this is actually a problem.
Theriault says that police officers from all over the country tell him they are afraid to go on retreats in case their boss finds out. He said that officers worry that they will be shunned by their peers and that their careers will be cut short.
Muise said that she had seen it with her own eyes.
She said, “I think the RNC wants the public to think that they support their members.”
“A lot of people are in pain in that building.”
Find out more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.