RICHARD ALLEN SCOTT - Through the Years

RICHARD ALLEN SCOTT
THROUGH THE YEARS
1981
”E” Division Management Services Branch
Midway through 1981 I became an ‘administrator’ and ended my ‘operational policing’ career.
The High Potential Development program was put in motion, with a transfer to “E” Division
Headquarters Policy and Planning Section, and my selection for a one-year, non-degree, fulltime
University program. This move was preceded by an interview with the Superintendent in
charge of the section at his home in Port Moody. He was a very well-educated man and spoke
to me of the roles and responsibilities of his unit. I had no clue what he was talking about, and
was absolutely lost. He agreed to ‘take a chance’ on me and I said ‘OK’. On the drive home I
thought ‘what the hell have I done?’ I was missing police work already. This was not going to
be easy.
In July, I started at the Policy and
Planning office (later to become
Management Services) in
Vancouver, in temporary “E” Div
HQ at an office tower by the
Vancouver Airport. Shortly
thereafter the HQ moved to West
37 th Avenue and Heather Street,
just down the street from the old
RCMP Fairmont Barracks,
pictured here.
Old Lower Mainland District (LMD) HQ
New Lower Mainland District (LMD) HQ
It was a long drive, taking, on a
good day, at least 1½ hours one
way. I took back roads, and
once ended up getting a
speeding ticket from an idiot
traffic member in south Langley,
even though he knew I was also
a member. Quotas were alive and well back then.
My work, until September, consisted of some in-house computer familiarization (never used one
before – never even seen one!), tabulating police statistics, and assisting at Mission
Detachment with statistical research. Pretty dry and mundane stuff.
June 2017
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