Canmore’s RCMP detachment has a new commander with plenty of experience with policing in the community.
Two weeks ago, having completed both an RCMP process and a structured interview with Canmore’s civilian policing committee, Brad Freer was named staff sergeant of the detachment.
Freer, though, while new in the staff sergeant position, has been in the valley since 1998; first as a constable, then corporal. After a three-year stint in Red Deer, during which he kept his home in Canmore, he returned as a sergeant in May 2010 and now replaces retiring Staff Sgt. Shannon Johnson as detachment commander.
With Freer moving up, there is now an opening for a sergeant at the 19-member detachment.
“I have a fairly long history in the valley,” said the 19-year veteran. “I’ve been here to see the growing of the town and I don’t expect any sweeping changes.
“But the detachment is going through a significant change of constables, so people will be seeing new faces.”
Typically, constables are posted to detachments for five-year spans and Canmore has six members who have rotated out. “So training and mentoring new members is at the top of my list,” said Freer. “The new faces are just a natural progression.”
Along with training and mentoring, Freer said an open door policy is important to him.
“Communication is the key to address the concerns of both the community and the members of the detachment. Our main role is public and community safety, so I’m active with the policing committee as an avenue the detachment and (Town) council. I strongly believe in that.
“I think I have a good feel for the community, but there needs to be community feedback to the police committee. Committees work well in other communities and it’s all about members of the detachment hearing concerns and issues of the town.”
An example of communication between the committee/council is a request to have a greater RCMP presence on busy weekends and long weekends.
That request was met, said Freer, with enhanced foot and bike patrols.
Other fairly recent personnel changes include Cpl. Martine Renaud being posted to Haiti for nine months and Cpl. Steve Simpson joining from the Cochrane detachment.
