The Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment (UFVRD) is on the verge of changing times and is adamant about changing with them.
“We value the opinions of the general public,” said Detachment Commander Superintendent Deanne Burleigh in a press release statement. “And we’re interested in knowing about community priorities and concerns, as we make plans to shape our service in the future.”
Local RCMP is in week two of its initiative across the Upper Valley to seek out the opinions of its valued citizens through an anonymous online survey. The Detachment is eager to discern the needs of its ever-growing and changing population.
“This is about our local communities,” said Burleigh. “We know there are provincial and national issues in the news about the RCMP, and these are ongoing and important priorities. However, this process focuses on our service to communities in the Fraser Valley where we are the local police department.”
The survey was part of the preparation process for a new Strategic Plan for the Regional Detachment, which helps to provide a road map for Detachment in the areas of decision-making, the utilization of resources, and how to gage the needs of the community effectively and efficiently.
Instrumental in collecting information and as a tool for reaching out to the community, the invaluable input of citizen’s opinions and experience will help the RCMP successfully facilitate the trajectory of their new strategic course of action.
By giving people a voice on the diverse aspects of the services provided by the RCMP and how they can be further developed or improved upon, the UFVRD is moving full steam ahead (to complete the survey please visit, http://fluidsurveys.com/s/UFVRD-RCMP/.)
RCMP officers from Hope are on board with the continuous upgrading of technology and equipment, keeping in-line with the top standards and emerging trends of a fast growing industry and government profession, including — a handsome new vest complete with all the trimmings.
“The RCMP are always looking at new and improved equipment for the members on the force — to make their safety better and to make their job easier, while addressing any changes in technology,” said Staff Sgt. Bruce Anderson of Hope. The vest has been designed for all general duty members to wear, it clearly identifies police through bright bold letters across the front and back, as identification was one of the issues we wanted to address.”
Some unique features of the sporting new vest are the capability of attachments. A tourniquet for first aid can be attached to the vest among other neat and functional gadgets. They have recently acquired a carbine rifle, which was identified through the Moncton inquiry as an excellent piece of equipment according to Anderson.
“The vest addresses the needs of the carbine and of carrying different ammunition or magazine clips that can attach to the vest, so members can carry them easily,” he said. “Our firearm is effective up to a certain distance — the shotgun also addresses a certain distance, but the carbine is a more precise weapon that fires one round as opposed to a shot gun that has seven pellets.”
A carbine covers a longer range than the shotgun, so it addressed the need that was identified through Moncton report (based on the death of three RCMP members in Moncton, NB.)
“Hard body armour address high calibre weapons — we’re trying to ensure the safety of the members and the members of the public and to be able to address hazardous situations that are occuring,” said Anderson.