Lifelong Learning: Ryan Leil
Alumnus, Ryan Leil, was born and raised in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. He now serves as the Deputy Chief of the New Glasgow Regional Police Department. Ryan credits much of his success to the support of his family and from his education.
After high school, Ryan attended NSCC, gaining a diploma in Correctional Services, after which he then enrolled in the Atlantic Police Academy in 2004.
When he joined the New Glasgow Regional Police department, it was not long before Ryan found himself quickly climbing the ranks. He was at a turning point in his career, and it was an opportune time to explore the next steps in his training and education. Ryan’s wife, Kaylin, urged him to return to post-secondary education for his Bachelor’s degree to help him succeed even further in his career.
Ryan and Kaylin had one young child at home with another on the way. Ryan worried about how to balance a busy work schedule in the major crimes division, his course load and his young family. He needed to find courses that were accessible and would align with his desire to grow his skills through education.
Ryan reached out to several Cape Breton University alumni who completed the Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies program while maintaining a policing career. Ryan’s interest in this program was the relevance to his profession, the accessibility and flexibility of online learning and the positive reputation of CBU. In 2018, Ryan graduated and became part of the CBU Alumni family.
“My career in policing has always been supported by my education. It’s not about a resume or what’s on a piece of paper. My Bachelor of Community Studies Degree (BACS) from CBU instilled skills that I use every day on the job – problem-solving, meaningful research and analyzing situations.”
Dreaming of being a police officer as a child wasn’t something Ryan could recall, but he does have an organic sense of responsibility to his community. He is proud to live and work where he grew up.
In 2019, Ryan received the Chief’s Commendation for outstanding contributions to the Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit and for the strong commitment to enhancing partnerships in the community.