From Brazil to New Brunswick: A new face on Saint John Police Force's journey

Global News

a day ago

This is Part 5 in our series Welcome to Saint John, where we share stories of immigration as it grows and shapes the city. In previous stories, we've looked at how newcomers will fuel key sectors, including health care. We also profiled a cardiovascular surgeon at the New Brunswick Heart Centre who says his journey from India helped shape his life, and a mother from the Philippines who has been reunited with her children.
There's a new face on the Saint John Police Force, and her path to the badge is unlike most.
When Const. Keyla Nerys moved from Brazil in 2020, she spoke little English and had no local connections. Still, she came to see what life here could be, and stayed because of what she found.
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'The opportunity to pursue my dream. Like I said, to be a police officer was always my dream. And be able to be myself,' she said.
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Nerys was trained as a psychologist and human resources professional in Brazil, but had to rebuild her career in Canada. First, she worked in customer service, then launched her own medical aesthetics business.
She says she felt the weight of missing home and the challenge of reobtaining her credentials. But through it all, her dream of policing never faded, despite the language barrier.
'Dealing with English — that's not my first language. So, I'd say that I need to put way more effort than everybody else. If I was born here it would be different,' she said.
Now, she's part of the Saint John Police Force and giving back to the same community that helped her find her footing.
To other newcomers, her message is simple.
'You're going to be fine here, as long as you're open to experience different things,' she said. 'You're going to cry, you're going to miss your family, you're going miss your country. But you're going to survive for sure.'
For more on this story, watch the video above.
— with a file from Rebecca Lau