How Correctional Officer Ashley Singh built a career based on compassion, commitment and service
When Ashley Singh stepped inside a federal institution for the first time, she wasn’t wearing a uniform. As a volunteer in her early 20s, she was simply driven by curiosity and a budding interest in law enforcement.
“Back in high school, everyone talked about volunteer hours,” she recalls. “I knew I wanted a career in policing or something similar, so I was open to exploring different agencies.”
That openness led her to Correctional Service Canada (CSC), where a volunteer coordinator welcomed her into a world she’d never imagined. Over the next two years, she visited institutions, supported information fairs and helped women file their taxes or get to medical appointments.
“Some people staying in halfway houses don’t have transportation or struggle with mobility,” Ashley says. “Helping them with those everyday needs showed me the human side of corrections.”
Her main volunteer role was assisting program officers with the Integrated Correctional Program Model (ICPM), the holistic model CSC uses for offender correctional programming. It was one of those officers who suggested she consider becoming a correctional officer herself.
“It wasn’t something I had envisioned, but they saw something in me and thought I’d be really good at it,” she says. “I decided to apply and two years later, I got in.”
Ashley joined CSC in 2014, beginning her career at Grande Cache Institution in Alberta after completing the Correctional Training Program (CTP) in Regina, Saskatchewan. From there, she moved to Kent Institution, a maximum-security facility in British Columbia, before transferring to Pacific Institution, where she has been ever since. Today, she works as an Acting Correctional Officer II in the Regional Reception Assessment Centre (RRAC), one of the busiest and most dynamic units in the region.
“Every federally sentenced person (in the Pacific region) starts their journey with us,” Ashley explains.
Each new arrival undergoes a 90-day assessment in the RRAC before placement. Officers gather intake packages, coordinate daily movement, answer countless questions and ensure individuals have everything they’re permitted to have, from clothing to basic necessities.
The unit also houses temporary detention, where individuals who breach conditions return for short stays.
“It’s challenging because they’ve already been out in the community,” she says. “You’re dealing with frustration, disappointment, and a lot of emotions. But you’re also there to meet their needs and keep everyone safe.”
Through all of it, Ashley sees her role not as enforcement alone, but as part of someone’s journey.
“Listening to offenders talk about what led them to this point showed me how much people struggle,” she says. “We can’t control their past, but we can influence their future. Helping someone stay on the right path, that’s what matters.”
Her commitment extends beyond the institution walls. She has spent nearly a decade as a proud member of the Guard of Honour, first joining in Grande Cache before later becoming the institutional squad leader at Pacific Institution.
“To me it represents discipline, unity, and tradition,” she says. “Whether it’s a funeral, a parade, or Remembrance Day, you’re there for something bigger than yourself.”
For Ashley, the Guard is also a powerful symbol of representation. As a woman of colour, she knows the impact it has when young girls see her in uniform.
Ashley proudly represents CSC publicly as a member of the Guard of Honour.
“All these little girls will come over to take pictures and say, ‘Wow, that looks so nice, that’s so cool!’ I want to be a role model for them, so they know you can be a woman and work in corrections or law enforcement,” she says.
“I encourage women of all backgrounds to try new things and break any barriers that come their way. The only way to become stronger is to place yourself in difficult situations, and corrections is a challenging, fast paced, and dynamic environment that will help you overcome any obstacle you face.”
Staying grounded is an essential part of the job, and for Ashley, that starts with self-awareness – recognising when she’s feeling overwhelmed and giving herself permission to pause and reset. “I’m also part of the Employee Assistance Program and the Critical Incident Stress Management Program (EAP-CISM) team, so I recognize the importance of mental health,” she says.
“We are the ones who support others through trauma, crisis, and recovery. But we must also remember to support ourselves.”
After more than a decade of service, Ashley hopes her legacy is simple: “I want people to remember me as someone who worked hard, gave my best, and left every situation better than I found it,” she says.
“If I can inspire someone to push themselves and believe they can do this too, that’s the mark I hope to leave.”