On May 23, 2023, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will mark its 150th anniversary of service to the public.
From 300 members in 1873 to over 30,000 police officers and employees now, the RCMP have grown and evolved.
Inspector Ted Lewko, the officer in charge of the Mission Detachment, said the RCMP is a proud tradition.
“When something lasts for 150 years, you know there has to be a lot of positives behind it, because something that can last that long means they are making a positive difference and contribution towards the communities it serves.”
There are no plans for a major celebration to mark the anniversary here in Mission, instead Lewko said the detachment is commemorating the anniversary in their own way.
The Mission detachment has been participating in in-house promotions that will benefit the public – collecting 150 food items or doing small $150 at a time fundraising, to support local food banks.
“We are doing things that will have a positive impact on Mission itself, especially for the vulnerable population, people who need that type of support,” explained Lewko.
The Inspector has been in Mission for just over a year now and he said he finds Mission to be a very tight-knit community.
“It seems like everybody knows everybody which is good because I’ve been out and about meeting lots of people and stakeholders, trying to build a good relationship with businesses, organizations and the public. Having good relationships with the public is one of the reasons the RCMP has been around for 150 years.”
Lewko said he’s proud of a lot of the work that his officers, staff and volunteers do and that he’s heard plenty of positive feedback.
Still, crime is an ongoing battle.
He said certain crimes come in ebbs and flows, sometimes with no rhyme or reason. Other times its about who is in the community, such as a prolific offender, who may be out of custody.
Lewko stressed that reporting a crime to the RCMP, no matter how small you feel it may be, is essential.
“If you observe it, or you are a victim of crime, report it. Without that information it’s hard for us to act upon it”
He explained that gathering information – even if it’s a rash of smashed car windows – is important. If enough people report the incidents to police, they can put together a strategy that gives them a higher chance to find a suspect.
Posting on Facebook that you car has been broken into isn’t the same as filing a police report, he said.
Lewko continues to work on building relationships with the community. In the past few weeks he has met with city council, members of the Sikh Temple, both the Sumas and the Leq’a:mel First Nation, the school district, the downtown business association and more.
“I’m often out and about, but so are other officers.”
Mission has a number of liaison officers including those who work with youth, mental health, Indigenous and more.
“When you build relationships, you hope it has a positive affect on reducing crime.”
“The police are always here to support the community in every which way we can so if there are issues or concerns you have with crime, please let us know.”
Lewko called building a positive community relationship an equal priority to crime prevention.
“I want to thank everyone in the community for their ongoing support of the RCMP. We will continue to strive to provide high level service.”