Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 29/02) - Public comments that RCMP Staff Sgt. Terry Scott is leaving his post remain unconfirmed.

Scott has refused to comment on his status but both Mayor Gord Van Tighem and Coun. Robert Hawkins have made public statements about Scott's apparent departure.

During his 'State of the City' address to the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce on May 17, Mayor Gord Van Tighem said "up until Terry (Scott) took early retirement we had a champion who was trying to increase the number and presence of RCMP in town."

The mayor was referring to Scott's co-ordinated efforts with city council to lobby for more officers in Yellowknife to deal with the increasing demand for community service policing. Van Tighem confirmed yesterday that Scott personally told him he was retiring. When asked about Scott's regular monthly report to city council, Van Tighem replied the RCMP Staff Sgt. "has only got one left."

Prior to the mayor's public comments, Hawkins announced during a city council meeting on April 22 that Scott had recently "resigned from the RCMP."

"There have been some turn of events in the last little while that caused his departure.

"Terry had the city in his heart and he had been trying very hard to get more RCMP representatives in the community and had been doing his best.

"And lately due to some events that were unpredictable he's decided to move on," said Hawkins.

He then went on to say he believed Scott would be missed in the community and wished him well in his future endeavours.

When asked whether or not he had announced his early retirement, Scott replied: "I have no comment on that," and later added he "can't control what the mayor says or does. "It's not for public consumption what happens in my career."