From Gas Masks to Cybercrime: A Career in Public Safety

In this episode of Wired for Change, Amy Yee sits down with Kelly Bradshaw, a retired RCMP officer whose nearly three-decade career spans front-line policing, public-order deployments, UN peacekeeping missions, and investigations into financial and cybercrime.Kelly reflects on what it takes to build and sustain a career in public safety — from responding alone to calls early in her career, to operating in high-pressure public-order environments, to leading Canadian police officers deployed to Mali with the United Nations.Along the way, she shares leadership lessons from the field, insights into the human side of policing, and perspectives on how technology and cyber-enabled crime are reshaping the future of law enforcement.This conversation explores the resilience required for a career in public service, the importance of trust and communication in difficult situations, and the evolving challenges facing modern policing.In this episode, we discuss:• What it’s really like starting a career in the RCMP• Lessons from public-order policing and crisis environments• Leading Canadian police officers on a UN peacekeeping mission in Mali• Building trust with communities and vulnerable populations• Women in leadership roles in policing and security• The evolution of financial crime and cybercrime investigations• How technology and data are shaping the future of public safetyChapters00:00 – Introduction01:12 – What Drew Kelly to the RCMP04:40 – Early Surprises in Policing06:05 – The First Traffic Stop08:45 – Establishing Credibility10:50 – Misconceptions About Police Work13:15 – Emotional Impact and Compartmentalization16:05 – Authenticity and Leadership20:20 – Entering Public-Order Policing23:20 – Riot Control Training and Gas Masks25:35 – The Summit of the Americas27:10 – Team Culture in High-Pressure Situations29:40 – Leadership in Crisis31:25 – Transition to International Work34:05 – Leading the Canadian Police Contingent in Mali37:50 – Multinational Peacekeeping41:25 – Gender Dynamics in Security Roles43:05 – A Story from the Front Lines45:10 – Improving Public Safety Systems47:35 – Technology, Data, and Partnerships50:25 – Financial Crime and Following the Money54:20 – The Expanding World of Cybercrime57:40 – Avoiding Fraud and Scams59:30 – Situational Awareness and Instincts1:02:05 – Women in Defence and Security1:05:20 – Advice for Women Entering Public Safety1:08:05 – Leadership Lessons1:10:20 – Closing Reflections