Policing is about more than law and order; it is also about personal connections. Throughout our careers and various postings, we encounter people I can only describe as characters.
I met most of mine during my first posting in northern Manitoba.
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We got to know our “regulars” through near-daily interactions, often after arresting them for public intoxication. Three of these individuals were DD, Jim and C. Addictions were, and still are, a reality in that community.
During the winter, we patrolled specifically to ensure no one was left out in the cold.
Most had homes or were visiting from outlying communities, but they frequently ended up staying the night in our cells after socializing downtown at “chip-in corner.”
These individuals were usually happy-go-lucky and easy to deal with. They knew we had a job to do, and we understood their personal struggles.
I always kept a pack of cigarettes in my duty bag to help defuse tense situations.
Depending on how much he had to drink, C could get testy when arrested. When he was unco-operative, the sight of a cigarette would calm him down.
I would light one for him to enjoy before he got into the back seat of the cruiser.
One night, my partner and I spotted Jim, DD and C heavily intoxicated just as we were heading out for coffee. After picking them up, we offered to buy them a round.
We made a quick trip through a local drive-thru — the one made famous by Rick Mercer — before heading back to the detachment.
I often ran into these characters while off duty with my family, and they became familiar with each other. My kids would point them out by name, and we frequently bought them lunch from the Northern Store or Burger King.
They meant something to us that went well beyond the law. Listening to their stories was always enjoyable, regardless of their level of intoxication.
To me, these characters were a career highlight, becoming less like acquaintances and more like friends. Sadly, since I transferred out of Manitoba 17 years ago, both Jim and DD have died. But when I look back, it isn’t their arrests I recall. Instead, I remember them as the characters who enriched my time in the North.
Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future online columns from the Lloydminster RCMP.
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