CPS Member Spotlight On Lynne Shiels
written by JaimeKristal Lott
Lynne Sheils never expected missing the train would change her big-city life into becoming a small-town girl. Growing up in Toronto, Lynne began a potential career as an actress doing background work as an extra for film and television while paying the bills with another job. Until one summer, when she was 22 years old, Lynne decided to go on an adventure by taking a volunteer position at a camp in Northwestern Ontario. She had such a great time Lynne actually missed her train back home and got stuck in Thunder Bay.
Taking it as a sign to stay in the area longer, Lynne ended up crashing at a friend’s apartment for a while. This led to attending university there and, later, getting a job as a clerk at the local bank. She made new friends, including a sibling of the man she would eventually marry. His two sisters did a bit of matchmaking and, after some time, Lynne realized she wanted to spend her life with Jeff Sheils.
Her new husband was trying to become a police officer and by the time he was hired, graduated from police college, and was sworn in, Lynne got a better job with Thunder Bay Police Service herself as a dispatcher. In fact, during her very first day at work, she got to attend her husband’s swearing-in ceremony. She soon learned being a dispatcher can be difficult both mentally and emotionally, but it also helped Lynne better understand her husband’s job as an officer.
Many people worry for their partners who are first responders, be they firefighters or police officers, but Lynne was aware of how much training and backup is available to know her husband was safe as possible. The worst moment for her was when Jeff had been in a car accident on his way to answer a call. At first, she thought the uniform knocking on the door was her husband having forgotten his keys again, yet it was a co-worker telling her Jeff was okay but in the hospital. Lynne was fine during this conversation, as she found someone to watch the kids, and while she was on her way to Emergency to see her husband. It was only as he was in the process of getting stitches that all the fears of what could have been came crashing down on her.
Years later, when her husband was looking for a bigger challenge at work and considering taking a teaching position at the Ontario Police College, it was Lynne who convinced him to apply knowing he would be good at the job. By this time, they had twin sons and a baby daughter, but the hardest part about the move was simply waiting for the moving truck to arrive at their new home. Lynne had taken a leave of absence from her own job and soon found the same work as a dispatcher for the Ontario Provincial Police at the London Provincial Communications Centre (just a half-hour drive from their temporary home).
After their two years in Aylmer, their family had to decide where to go next: back to Thunder Bay to be close to Jeff’s family again or to somewhere in Southern Ontario nearer to Lynne’s hometown. The decision was made when Jeff found a new job with the Cobourg Police Service. There was a bit of homesickness for her husband, but the children adapted well to living in a small town.
History essentially repeated itself for Lynne’s career when she was at Jeff’s latest swearing-in ceremony. The Police Chief had heard of her experience as a dispatcher and approached Lynne with the suggestion she apply to the station. After dropping off a resume, she was quickly hired on as a part-time dispatcher. Thanks to having worked at a bank and similar situations at her previous job, Lynne was also asked to help cover in the finance department when someone went on holiday. After around four years, Lynne was hired full-time in the finance and HR departments.
For the past thirty years, Lynne and Jeff’s lives have been intertwined, both through marriage and their jobs. This past summer the couple celebrated their third decade together and Jeff’s retirement. Now, six months later, Lynne is getting ready to retire as well. Lynne is looking forward to camping trips, girls’ game nights, more time with family, and doing a bit of travelling —possibly finally going on that trip to Australia and New Zealand she dreamed of as a teenager.
“The key to building relationships is to be curious. Talk to people, go in with confidence, make that connection, find a mentor… There are always people who would be happy to help you through life.”