Julius Sosa, Toronto Police Special Constable
Julius has always had a strong passion for serving his community. His ultimate career goal was always to become a police officer. In order to build his confidence and communication skills, Julius decided to pursue a career in the security industry as a security guard. During his 14-year security career, he worked in a variety of different sites, such as commercial buildings, malls, and hospitals. He eventually moved up the ranks and became a Training Instructor for Paladin
“Working in a healthcare environment has helped me become a better person by being more patient, compassionate, empathetic, respectful, and confident. I believe these traits are the foundation of a great security professional. They have also helped me become a better mentor to my team,” said Julius.
Julius’ journey in the security industry has helped him build the skills and traits necessary to become a successful police officer. He believes that the security industry is a great starting point for anyone interested in law enforcement. The skills he has gained through his experience in security have prepared him for the challenges he will face as a police officer in the future.
Prestigious developmental training programs like Paladin to Policing are available to all Paladin employees who seek to improve their chances of securing a career in law enforcement.
If you want to start a meaningful career in security and make a difference in your community like Julius, check out our careers page.
Alex Pinatsis, Sergeant with Toronto Community Housing
While working for Paladin Security, I was a site supervisor for the Scarborough General / Birchmount Hospitals. My experience working in this high-risk type of security truly prepared me for my current role as a Sergeant Special Constable with Toronto Community Housing. I learned how to speak with all ranges of people, including external stakeholders, front-line staff, hospital staff, and different levels of management.
The training that Paladin offers both in-class and on-site was exactly what someone needs in order to prepare themselves for either movement within the company or in pursuit of other career paths. I was able to take the training I received in class and apply that in the field while working with my team and management.
Working in the security field, I have had the opportunity to work with many different security companies. When I began working for Paladin, I immediately knew that the training and staff conducting the training were far superior to other companies. Jason and his team were dedicated, focused, and genuinely cared about the staff and preparing them for being in the field.
Working with Jason Magallanes in the office for training was always exciting. I believe that in many companies, trainers overlook the need to continue educating themselves as new and innovative tools and methods are introduced. I know that Jason made sure that he kept up to date with training and ensured that anyone in his class was ready to perform their required duties.
When it came to spending time in the classroom with our training team, the trainers went above and beyond to ensure that we, as front-line members, were well equipped when sent to our sites. The training team took time to ensure that our work was not just “met standard” but made sure we understood what was being presented to us and where needed and spent extra time with members who needed a little more attention.
Looking back at the training and fieldwork while employed at Paladin Security, I know that I would not be in my current role without that training and guidance. I genuinely believe that Paladin Security played a major role in developing as an individual and, more importantly, learning how to be an effective team leader. Paladin provided the necessary resources to ensure I would be successful in my role.
Carsten Penner, Police (Victoria)
“My name is Carsten Penner, and on March 18th of 2019, I was hired as a police officer; a long-standing dream of mine. Accomplishing this goal represented many years of hard work, dedication, patience, and perseverance.
Before this, I had been working for Paladin Security on Vancouver Island for 5 years. If it were not for the experience I gained during my time as a security professional for Paladin Security, I would not have acquired the confidence and knowledge that I have now in dealing with policing and law enforcement issues that were able to allow me to become an attractive candidate for being hired.
My primary site was the Bay Centre Shopping Mall, which is located in the heart of downtown Victoria. I was working in a team atmosphere, where each day I was challenged with something new. I encountered a multitude of different calls that focused on criminal behaviour, mental health, drug related offences, maintenance issues, and straight-forward customer service calls for tenants and patrons alike.
Working there, I eventually became the supervisor for the site, where I was able to demonstrate and hone my leadership skills. The Bay Centre is a high priority site that requires security to possess strong customer service skills and an ability to defuse a high volume of a variety of different calls.
During my interviews for the Police, I spoke of how I viewed the Bay Centre as its own small community; where on every shift I would treat each of the Centre’s business owners as if they were a homeowner in the community. I wanted to be out in the public eye to allow the tenants to learn that security was there to support them, and to allow myself to understand each tenant’s needs on a personal level. This approach focused on community policing, which during my time with Paladin Security, I learned was something that Paladin took to heart.
Security and Policing are professions where you need to develop positive personal relationships with the public to meet their needs to the best of your abilities. As I move on from Paladin now, I leave with a positive outlook for the future. I say goodbye to a company who was always there for me, and colleagues who I still consider close friends.”
Parveen Kattra (Edmonton)
Parveen Kattra had started working for Paladin Security in late 2018. When Parveen started working with Paladin Security, she had cited that she was recommended by her mentor that she specifically needed Paladin’s training and experience in order to qualify for the Edmonton Police Services (EPS). In her short period of time of working for Paladin Security, Parveen has been a rising star. Parveen had been a solid performer from her initial training to placement. She is a prime example of what we look for in a security officer. She demonstrated the utmost professionalism, dedication, eagerness to learn and grow.
As of April 2019, Parveen has successfully been accepted into the local law enforcement training. This is the kind of drive we want in an officer and the support we are willing to provide our employees.
Sara Piotto, RCMP (Toronto)
“My name is Sara Piotto. I was hired as a police officer for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This has been a lifelong dream, which started with a career in Healthcare Security.
In 2006 my journey started. I was fresh out of University and I applied directly to a local police service. Well into 2007, the police service deemed that my application was not competitive and lacked life experience. I immediately turned to the security industry to recharge and drive my career goals.
I started off working for a security company at Credit Valley Hospital, which shortly after was awarded to Paladin Security. I worked as a front line officer, eager to learn, train, and grow within Paladin Security. The family and team environment at Paladin enriched my professional and personal development.
I began to dive deeper into the industry. By 2010, with the encouragement from Paladin leaders, I was able to pursue two career paths; I became a Supervisor at Trillium Health Partners, and an active member within the ASIS & IAHSS communities. These paths catapulted my career in security and policing.
With unwavering support from the Paladin Family, I had refined my skills for investigations, training, coaching, time management, flexibility, team work, and networking. In 2018, I submitted my RCMP application and also became an Operations Manager for Paladin Security at the newly acquired contract for Toronto Pearson International Airport. Interview skills, composure to high stress situations, and deductive reasoning were my main takeaways from the hard work I had put in. The skills I have acquired and refined allowed me to be at my most competitive during the RCMP selection process.
Today, I continue to be an advocate for Paladin Security, and I encourage all guards who aspire to a career in Law Enforcement & Corrections, and/or the Security Industry, to surround yourself with Paladin Leaders who will support your personal and professional development.”
CLYTON FERNANDES, RCMP (Vancouver)
“Working in law enforcement has been a dream of mine since I was in high school and in May 2019 that dream will finally be a reality.
During my 6 years working with Paladin, I’ve been exposed to many experiences that prepared me for my application and my future career with the RCMP. I learned applicable skills like proper report writing, tracking crime trends, conducting investigations, and reviewing video footage.
One of the greatest experiences Paladin gave me, was the opportunity to build positive relationships with law enforcement. At most sites, you’ll get to know members of the law enforcement who are consistently attending to calls at your site. By getting to know these Officers, I was able to build relationships and have mentors who could help me with my application and even offered to take me for a ride along. These experiences were invaluable to me and definitely put my application above the rest.
As I start the next chapter of my career, I want to thank Paladin Security for giving me a platform to gain the experience I needed to succeed. I would recommend Paladin to anyone looking to start a career in law enforcement. Their training, support, and opportunities do an incredible job of preparing you for your future!”
Miriam Mounk, Police (Ontario)
Miriam joined Paladin in May 2019 and started as a Security Officer at a Markham shopping centre in the heart of the Greater Toronto area. “I worked as a Security Officer for about six months before being promoted to Security Dispatcher and helping implement and build the dispatch program within the Security team.” – Miriam shared. Shortly after working as a dispatcher, she had the opportunity to work as lead-hand on the team, assisting with calls and training new incoming staff. That is when she was promoted to Security Team Lead, which became a steppingstone in her new role within the Ontario Provincial Police.
Miriam decided she wanted to pursue a career in policing when she was in her fourth year of university. She had been surrounded by Law Enforcement topics which started a passion to make a difference in her community. Through her Paladin journey, she had a few mentors that supported her along the way. “During my time with Paladin, I had role models from whom I was able to take an example. I am glad I was able to build a close and strong relationship with my colleagues and leaders, as it helped me improve myself and build strong connections for the future.”
“If you are looking to go into a career in Law Enforcement, the best positions to work in are those involved in customer service and interacting with the public. Roles that showcase and involve a high level of communication and problem solving are always valued. Positions of leadership and mentorship are valuable to showcase your ability to be a leader and support others. All three of my roles during my time with Paladin were beneficial for my application to policing.
“The best piece of advice I could give for someone looking to move up within Paladin and potentially aim toward a career in policing is: don't be scared to ask questions, look for learning and growing opportunities, be a leader within your role no matter what your role is, and build strong connections.”
Become the Next Success Story
View our current job openings on our website or you can meet us in person at our upcoming career fairs.
