RCMP members and staff from around the country were at the Gold Ridge Centre Saturday evening for a reunion dinner.
Those who were reunited had all, at one time, served in the Battlefords.
MC was Doug Zorn, a former chief of police.
Retired corporal Wayne MGillivary sang O Canada before grace was given by Karl Caslor.
A toast to the force was delivered by retired inspector Bernie Meisner before everyone gathered along the buffet table.
Zorn then called Battleford mayor Derek Mahon up to the podium to make the opening speech.
“When I first got here, I looked around the room and thought to myself, ‘I don’t think I know many people here,’ but after looking around I do recognize a couple of faces,” he said. “There is one man here, and while I won’t name names, when me and my friends would see his squad car pulling up we’d say, ‘here comes Chuck!’” he finished to uproarious laughter.
North Battleford mayor Ian Hamilton quickly commented on Mahon’s speech.
“I don’t know anyone in this room,” he began. “Which makes me wonder what sorts of things you were up to as a child, Derek,” as the crowd laughed.
After the speeches, Zorn called upon the former COO of North Battleford Al Mosher to say a few words.
“My experience had all been rural policing until I came to the city,” he said. “From May Long weekend until Christmas time, stat holidays meant sports days. Sports days meant baseball games and beer drinking. Now, a lot of the beer drinking was where beer wasn’t supposed to be drank. May 24 rolled around in North Battleford and I went to work expecting a busy weekend, but there was hardly anybody around. [My family] was only here for a year, but it was a very pleasant year. I’d like to thank Doug and anyone that was involved in arranging this gathering. I’ve seen a lot of people here that I haven’t seen for a long time. Both [my wife] and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay in your city. We were sad to leave it, and we’re happy to be back,” he finished to a standing ovation.
A few former officers were called up to the podium to tell stories about their time in the Battlefords, mostly at the expense of other officers. After a few had come and gone, Zorn called up current COO Insp. John Sutherland.
“We must think about the contributions [RMCP] offer to the communities they serve, engage others to develop common vision, one that encompasses factors related to community safety, health and well-being,” he said.
Before allowing more people to come to the podium, Zorn offered some final thoughts and words of appreciation.
“This is the first, and likely last, reunion we will have in which we all see each other alive. That’s just a fact of life. I can’t offer enough thanks to everyone who helped get a hold of everyone around the country to help bring us together one last time,” he said.
