The CAMROSE BOOSTER, June 29, 2021 – Page 10
Camrose Police Service, then and now By Lori Larsen
Camrose Police Service (CPS) celebrated 65 years of serving and protecting Camrose on July 1. While over those 65 years vast changes have occurred in how policing service is delivered, the underlying mission of CPS– to provide public safety through policing excellence– remains the same. Currently, CPS is comprised of 62 employees, both sworn and civilian, a long way from what began the force in 1956, when there were six sworn members, including the Chief of Police and no administrative support. In 1955, Camrose became a city and began future planning, which included its own police force established in 1956, with the first Chief of Police, Howard Martin, who had been with the RCMP for 23 years. Following Martin came Chief E.V. Christianson; Duff Franklin; Vic Redekopp, who was appointed Acting Chief until the service hired Bill Bradshaw as Chief; Marshall Chalmers; Darrell Kambeitz; Deputy Chief Lee Foreman, who was appointed Acting Chief until Mark Neufeld took over as Chief, leaving the service in 2019. Currently serving as the eighth Camrose Chief of Police, Dean LaGrange came to Camrose with 26 years of police service with Calgary Police Service, retiring as Inspector, then 18 months with the RCMP in Red Deer, where he held the position of Inspector of Operational Support. The first sworn members in 1956 consisted of Constables Duff Franklin, Charlie Starcheski, Tom Coultis, Robert Bell and Bob McFeeley. Today, the Police Service is 30 sworn members strong (including Chief). On July 1, 1956, at 12:01 a.m., Constable Tom Coultis began the first shift for Camrose Police (now Camrose Police Service). “When I first started, I came with military background,” said Tom, noting he had joined the army under the pretence of being 16 (he was only 14), and had served 11 years up to the time he joined Camrose Police (20 in total). “Chief Martin knew me and my background, so he pretty much hired me on the spot.” Training back then for individual police officers took approximately one month to cover criminal, traffic and liquor laws, as well as City bylaws. Today, a successful candidate with CPS will undergo six months of training with Edmonton or Calgary Police Service, which includes: criminal, provincial and municipal law, arrest and detention procedures, firearms, physical fitness and arrest tactics, officer safety,
investigative techniques and court procedures, human behaviour, crime prevention and diversity and inclusiveness. “The rookie officer then hits the street, working an additional 12 months under the watchful eye of a training officer before going out on their own,” explained Cam-
unmarked vehicles for patrol, K9, and traffic. “The average cost to completely outfit a police vehicle, including decaling, high tech computer systems, emergency sound and light bars, cameras, gauges, CO2 monitors and prisoner systems, is now in the range of $60,000
tunic (overcoat), as well as our forage hat. If we were in the office, it was okay to remove the overcoat.” While the authoritarian image of the police uniform has remained over the course of history, the uniform and subsequent gear has changed drastically. When CPS was first established, the uniform, albeit militant in style, consisted of the typical attire of buttondown shirt, trousers, tie, forage hat, boots or shoes and a Sam Brown utility belt used to carry the officer’s firearm, handcuffs, flashlight and perhaps utility knife. Times have changed in order to
car and flashlight, and my trusty dog Butch always accompanied me,” noted Coultis. “We were not issued any sidearms until about four months in. I remember they hired these two officers from England who didn’t even know how to use a gun, so I was put in charge of training them. That was quite the experience,” laughed Coultis. As the need increased to ensure officer and public safety, sidearms became a standard piece of equipment. Years ago, firepower was simpler, albeit much heavier, and a lot less reliable. “The .38 revolver was housed in what was referred to as a widowmaker,” noted former Camrose Deputy Chief Lee Foreman, in a previous interview. “All it had was a flap that buttoned down, and that would hold your
meet the increasing need for officer safety. The uniform, while still consisting of the basic clothing, now includes bulletproof vests and a duty belt that carries the officer’s handgun and ammunition, handcuffs, flashlight, radios, baton, and handheld protection devices such as pepper spray, taser and Narcan spray dispensers. This often adds up to an additional 15 pounds to the officer’s carrying weight. In the formative years, the officers were not issued any firearms. “When I first started, I had to use my own clothes,
revolver that had six rounds in it. Then you would carry another 12 rounds that you would feed in one at a time.” Now the Glocks have 16 rounds in them and officers carry an extra 30 rounds. Another integral part of the police uniform is the badge or crest, which identifies it uniquely to the individual service. For Camrose, the badge has undergone three changes in the history of the service to the most recent design change implemented in July 2020. The first police station was housed in the back of a former church, with City Hall housed in the front, located at the corner of 51 St. & 50 Ave., easy access for police officers to complete their main duties of foot patrol in the downtown area. The station itself consisted of a Chief’s office, a small open area and two portable cells in comparison to the facility CPS calls home today, which can house ten prisoners, has eight offices, not including a telecommunications centre, a fitness area, bull pen area for patrol officers, area for major crimes, parking garage, 10 cells, a board/interview room, designated space for Victim Services interviews, along with additional space within the City that accommodates forensic identification services and property storage. Despite the vast difference in size now compared to 1956, CPS is quickly outgrowing the existing building.
Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster Above: The restored Camrose Police Service Car, a 1956 Dodge Crusader is still used in parades and for ceremonial purposes. Right: The newer vehicles are maxed out with necessary equipment to effectively do the job.
rose Police Service Inspector Rene Brisson. Although the minimum qualifications state a recruit must have a Grade 12 education to be competitive, most officers have university degrees. This is complemented throughout their careers by “In Service” training that is required for professional growth and knowledge. In the beginning, Camrose Police purchased one police vehicle, a 1956 Dodge Crusader, for $2,169.34, which was shared by all members. The current CPS fleet consists of eight marked/
per unit,” said CPS Chief of Police Dean LaGrange. “Most of these units run day and night, and are cycled out of service between 180,000 and 200,000 km.” Coultis still proudly dons his first Camrose Police uniform to ride in that restored 1956 Dodge Crusader police car during the Kickin’ County Parade held annually (with the exception of 2020-21 due to COVID). “We had to wear the complete uniform,” remarked Coultis. “The buttoned-up shirt, tie, trousers and the Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster Tom Coultis, first police constable for Camrose Police, dons the original uniform he wore for duty.
Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster CPS Constable Pam McTavish dons the uniform and gear of today.
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