RCMP detachment office hours extended
Volunteers helping RCMP keep doors open longer

Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 26/99) - The public won't have to miss work to file a report at the Yellowknife RCMP detachment's main office now due to extended hours and volunteer staff.

The detachment has accepted and is training seven youth and six adults to work as volunteers at the front counter of the detachment office. Starting March 1, the detachment will increase the office hours from the regular 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to a more accommodating schedule of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. And with the volunteers, the detachment will be able to increase the hours and keep the cost down.

Sgt. Andrew Boland, Yellowknife RCMP detachment commander, said that the idea to increase the hours of operation came out of the need to accommodate the working population in Yellowknife.

"We came up with the plan when I was first transferred to Yellowknife," said Boland.

"I was still at headquarters in August but I wanted to get this going before I came to Yellowknife (in December). Previous detachments I've been in, the hours of operation aren't long enough. The detachments hours are not conducive for people who work (9 to 5 day jobs)."

With the increased hours and volunteer staff, the public will not have to wait so long for assistance.

"During peak hours, there can be five to six people waiting out there to make an accident report," said Sgt. Boland.

"It could be anywhere from half an hour to more. If the phone rings while (the commissionaire) is attending someone, that takes time to answer it before he gets back to them."

All 13 volunteers who applied in December for the chance to work with RCMP range in age from 15-81, and will be assisting the public with things such as filling out accident reports, answering questions, and directing the public to the appropriate departments.

Melissa Hazenburg with the Youth Volunteer Corps, who co-ordinated the volunteer project with the RCMP, said the youth and adults selected to assist the detachment have been undergoing training to prepare for their first day of work, March 1.

Hazenburg said the volunteer project will be beneficial not only to the RCMP, but to the public and the volunteers as well.

"We think it's a great career experience (for the volunteers)," said Hazenburg. "It puts more of a community face in the RCMP and gives them more hours. It will look great on the (volunteers) resumes and give them a chance see what a career in (law enforcement) is like."

Hazenburg is expecting that the volunteers will be received well by the public and be fully able to assist them.

"There is some concern getting the public used to it, but they (volunteers) are well trained and they know what they are doing," said Hazenburg.