If ever there was a time of transition within the Flin Flon RCMP, it has been the past two years.
But despite a near total overhaul of staff, Sgt. Shayne Smith says the detachment is unified in meeting the challenge of keeping the community safe.
“We have a very good mix of members,” says Smith. “Some with a range of service and experience and those in the dawn of their careers, and it balances very well. Collectively, we work very well as a team, and I consider myself very fortunate to work with such a dynamic group of people.”
Smith is Flin Flon’s third detachment commander since 2012. With the exception of two officers, all of his members have arrived in the community within the last couple of years.
RCMP detachments try to avoid drastic revampings in such a brief span. In this case timing was the main culprit as multiple officers transferred out of Flin Flon in a relatively short time frame.
With all but one vacancy now full, the dust has largely settled as the public, and the members themselves, begin to learn more about the men (and one woman) tasked with policing the community.
Among the newer faces is Cpl. Steve Brushett, an RCMP firearms and tactical instructor who spent the first five years of his career in Thompson.
“Flin Flon is unique as we have a diversified demographic here,” says Brushett, 35, originally from Newfoundland and Labrador. “Policing Flin Flon has its challenges with some complex investigations, but overall the cooperation and support we receive from the public to do our jobs is very indicative of the great community-orientated people we have living here.”
At 29, Cst. Jordan Tost has been with the Flin Flon detachment for six years, longer than any other member. His connection to the community serves as on-duty inspiration.
“Being here for as long as I have, I consider Flin Flon as home and am motivated to keep it a safe community for my family and friends,” says Tost, who hails from Stonewall, Manitoba.
Tost made Flin Flon his first RCMP post in September 2008. He had previously worked as a dispatcher and 911 operator for the Brandon Police Service.
“I was no longer interested in only hearing what was going on and wanted to go out and experience it myself,” Tost says.
Like Tost, Cst. Cole Plaetinck is not quite 30. Spurred by the Dick Tracy cartoons of his childhood, Plaetinck joined the Mounties in 2009 with Flin Flon as his initial stop.
Plaetinck cites his ability to make a difference and help people as the best part of the job. And the worst?
“The mountain of daily paperwork,” says Plaetinck, a native of Glenboro, Manitoba.
One of the more intriguing stories within the detachment is that of Cst. Andrew Leclair.
A PEI native, Leclair was already in his mid-40s when he signed up with the RCMP in 2009, posted first to Brandon and then to Flin Flon.
Now 51, Leclair had spent time in a variety of fields, primarily mental health, before donning the red serge.
“Since I was a young boy, I have always admired and respected the RCMP,” says Leclair, “and when the opportunity arose to start the process of joining the organization, I didn’t hesitate.”
Helping people in need and holding criminals to account offers “a great sense of accomplishment,” Leclair says.
Cst. Darek Eberts is another relative latecomer to the national police force, having joined in his late 30s back in 2010.
“To serve the public,” says Eberts, now 42, a Regina native, when asked about his rationale for signing up.
A former deputy sheriff for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice, Eberts relishes the diversity of his job.
“One day you could be investigating an assault and then the next you’re finding a stranded boater,” says Eberts.
The newest of Flin Flon’s new officers is also the detachment’s lone female in Cst. Kayla Upson, 21.
“So far I’ve enjoyed learning about the community and policing,” says Upson, a Nova Scotian who was formerly part of a hospital emergency response team in Halifax.
Cst. Glenn Colvin, who earned his RCMP badge in 2012 and previously served in Headingley, is also appreciating his time in Flin Flon.
“It can be very busy at times and with the great crew we have here it makes being busy a positive experience,” says Colvin, 35, a former carpenter.
“The atmosphere is great as each member brings something new to the detachment.”
No obstacles
Generally speaking, Smith, the detachment commander, doesn’t see major obstacles in running a force with so many newcomers.
“Obviously, we all took the same training, so everyone knows what their function and role is and what their responsibilities are,” Smith says. “However, the training then has to be applied, and the procedures and processes specific to the detachment learned. I think it is that initial learning curve that could pose a challenge to some. But again, we work as a team and help each other along.”
In speaking with the officers, it is apparent that humour is part of what helps them process the inherent pressures of the job.
“Despite the ever-popular stereotype of police officers, I do not enjoy donuts,” offers Brushett, the corporal from Newfoundland.
On a more serious note, Brushett says most people will never catch sight of the calamities with which he and his colleagues must contend.
“We see and deal with situations that the public will never be exposed to,” says Brushett. “It is those unfortunate or tragic events, and dealing with the negative aspects of society, that can be challenging.”
With more than a dozen years in policing, Smith knows those challenges as well as anyone. As detachment commander, part of his role is ensuring his officers can cope with whatever the job throws their way.
But Smith is also a big believer in stopping crime from occurring in the first place.
“We work with the community to identify effective ways to prevent and reduce crime by reducing risk factors before crime happens,” says Smith. “Ultimately, our philosophy at this detachment is to make Flin Flon and the surrounding area safer, and we do that through relationship-building, education, crime prevention and law enforcement.”
To accomplish such goals, high morale and cohesion among the officers is crucial. On both counts, Brushett gives the Flin Flon detachment high grades.
“Policing requires teamwork and we have no shortage of that here,” says Brushett. “Teamwork helps with safety. It helps achieving deadlines and managing tasks efficiently. Consequently, it provides us with the ability to produce better service delivery to our community.”
Roll call
With one vacancy to be filled, the Flin Flon RCMP has completed a near total staffing overhaul in the past two years.
Sgt. Shayne Smith arrived in Flin Flon in 2012, in time becoming interim detachment commander and then full-fledged detachment commander.
Under his command are two corporals, Steve Brushett and Stacy Wiens, and six constables.
Constables Jordan Tost and Cole Plaetinck have served the Flin Flon detachment the longest, having joined in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
More recent months and years have brought the addition of constables Andrew Leclair, Darek Eberts, Glenn Colvin and Kayla Upson.
Prior to Smith’s arrival, Staff Sgt. Wayne Foster served as detachment commander from 2005 to 2012, followed by Staff Sgt. Andrew Jarvie.
