Mathew Pinder
Faculty of Applied Health & Community Studies
Degree: Police Foundations
Year of graduation: 2014
Passion for Police Work
From a young age Mathew Pinder had a passion for policing which brought him to the Police Foundations program at Sheridan.
Mathew immediately put his best efforts into the program, participating in Sheridan’s challenging Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police, otherwise known as the PREP fitness competition. Students from multiple institutions compete in a course designed to test their physical capabilities.
His hard work was rewarded when he was accepted into the Peel Police Internship among a small group of candidates that met the program’s strict requirements.
Mathew graduated from his program in 2014 with high honours, receiving both the Peel Police Internship Award and the Halton Police Physical Fitness Award. The next step saw him undergo several interviews and fitness tests before being hired by Peel Police in his current position as a cadet.
Looking back, he commends the extra effort his professors put forth to help students achieve their goals, making special mention of Greg Chellew, Robert Horning and Tanya Philp. “They made the program such a great experience for me and others. Without them, I don’t believe I would be where I am today,” says Mathew.
One of the biggest challenges he now faces is time management. After working a 12 hour shift, it can be hard to find time to spend with family and friends, keep in good physical condition and manage post-secondary and volunteer work, he explains.
But policing is proving to be a very rewarding career for Mathew. “I know I have done a good job at the end of each day if I made even one little difference in someone’s life. That’s more than enough reason to love what I do,” he says.
Herein lies the crux of his advice to Sheridan students and new grads: find a program you are truly interested in because your passions will drive you towards success.
“I’ve found that when you find something you truly enjoy, you’ll succeed no matter what happens.”
Learn more about Sheridan’s Police Foundations program
By Cody Medwechuk (Public Relations - Corporate Communications, 2016)
From a young age Mathew Pinder had a passion for policing which brought him to the Police Foundations program at Sheridan.
Mathew immediately put his best efforts into the program, participating in Sheridan’s challenging Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police, otherwise known as the PREP fitness competition. Students from multiple institutions compete in a course designed to test their physical capabilities.
His hard work was rewarded when he was accepted into the Peel Police Internship among a small group of candidates that met the program’s strict requirements.
Mathew graduated from his program in 2014 with high honours, receiving both the Peel Police Internship Award and the Halton Police Physical Fitness Award. The next step saw him undergo several interviews and fitness tests before being hired by Peel Police in his current position as a cadet.
Looking back, he commends the extra effort his professors put forth to help students achieve their goals, making special mention of Greg Chellew, Robert Horning and Tanya Philp. “They made the program such a great experience for me and others. Without them, I don’t believe I would be where I am today,” says Mathew.
One of the biggest challenges he now faces is time management. After working a 12 hour shift, it can be hard to find time to spend with family and friends, keep in good physical condition and manage post-secondary and volunteer work, he explains.
But policing is proving to be a very rewarding career for Mathew. “I know I have done a good job at the end of each day if I made even one little difference in someone’s life. That’s more than enough reason to love what I do,” he says.
Herein lies the crux of his advice to Sheridan students and new grads: find a program you are truly interested in because your passions will drive you towards success.
“I’ve found that when you find something you truly enjoy, you’ll succeed no matter what happens.”
Learn more about Sheridan’s Police Foundations program
By Cody Medwechuk (Public Relations - Corporate Communications, 2016)