The numbers are increasing at the Estevan detachment of the RCMP.
In recent months, the local office has welcomed two new regular force members plus a collision analyst to help spread the workload as activities continue to accelerate on area highways, rural municipalities, border crossings, towns, villages and the oil patch.
Const. Cris Classen, a six-year veteran, is one of the members who has moved fairly recently into the Estevan detachment from his previous posting in Maple Creek.
He was joined a few months ago by Const. D. J. Brown, a newly graduated member from the RCMP training Depot Division in Regina.
Brown is a native of Surrey, B.C. and is quickly becoming acquainted with the Saskatchewan lifestyle.
Collision analyst Cpl. Jeff Burnett has spent 11 years in the RCMP, most of them in British Columbia.
All three are now firmly entrenched in their everyday duties and schedules.
Const. Classen's name may ring a bell with local SJHL fans since the native of Carrot River toiled as a goaltender for the Nipawin Hawks for a few years before earning a hockey scholarship to the United States. He later spent a couple of seasons pursuing a professional hockey career with teams in San Diego, Augusta, Georgia and Quebec before finding his way to the Mounties.
"I earned a sociology degree and learned that I really enjoyed working with people. Being a police officer means I can help people," Classen said.
He said he had to grow up and grow out of the professional hockey mill, but doesn't regret the decision.
All three men stated the one thing they haven't learned to appreciate with the RCMP is all the paperwork that goes along with the job. They smiled, noting that it seems that for every hour they spend on patrols and community interaction, they spend two hours completing the paperwork that goes along with it.
But conversely, what they do enjoy is the relative freedom that comes with the job insofar as "nothing is ever the same," said Classen who still enjoys playing some hockey, but now is a responsible married father with two children aged four and six. He's been with the detachment for a few months and is becoming better acquainted with the city and the surrounding area.
For Const. Brown, it has also been an adjustment situation after graduating from Depot Division training about three months ago.
"This is my first posting and yeah, I like the fact that every day is different in this job," said the unmarried newcomer.
Being a Mountie was almost a given for the young man, who noted that his father and grandfather were both RCMP members, "so you might say they had a bit of influence on my decision," he added with a grin.
When he's not busy policing, Brown said he enjoys playing a little senior hockey with the Lampman Imperials when his schedule allows. He also likes snowboarding, but doesn't see a lot of opportunity for much of that in southern Saskatchewan ... at least not yet.
Cpl. Burnett, who just recently earned his promotion that came in concert with his move to Estevan, has a different type of scheduling situation facing him every week. He shares collision analysis work with another officer working from Yorkton and they pretty well cover most of southern Saskatchewan. He says he should earn accident reconstructionist certification soon following several hours of additional training.
He too, comes from an RCMP family.
"If you ask me where I grew up, I would have to list about 10 different communities, mostly in Saskatchewan because that's the life of an RCMP family, and yes, there was an influence to join and I'm happy I did. I've been in it for 11 years, mostly in British Columbia, seven years in Golden and over three years in Fernie before coming to Saskatchewan," he said.
Burnett began his collision analysis work in 2007 after showing an interest in this particular field of endeavour within the force, but admits the work and lifestyle is not for everyone.
"I showed an interest in the work, but you have to know, be aware, of what you're getting into. You have to display an aptitude toward the work. I'm on call every other week and between my Yorkton partner and I, we cover the southern part of the province doing accident analysis for serious accidents ... accidents that might involve fatalities or have other real major implications. I've been fairly busy recently. Right now I'd say the pace is just right, I like being busy but fortunately we haven't had a whole bunch of serious accidents lately, maybe just three right around here that I've been involved with since I came here in October," he said.
But there have been others that he's had to attend to, not just in the southeast area, so the commitment is substantial, especially for a married man with two children aged two and four who like to have their dad around, especially when it comes time for camping or for special family occasions.
Since Cpl. Burnett works outside of the normal schedule, RCMP Sergeant Daryl Milo now has six constables he can call on for regular patrols and investigations with one (Const. Erin Beaulieu) currently on temporary leave as she attends a tryout for the RCMP Musical Ride. She is expected to be back to take up detachment duties soon, pending the results of her "audition."
It was also noted in the latter part of 2011 that the RCMP were placing a dedicated highway traffic enforcement team in the southeast part of the province. They were to be deployed from Regina in response to an increase in highway volume and intensity.
