RICHARD ALLEN SCOTT - Through the Years

RICHARD ALLEN SCOTT
THROUGH THE YEARS
Abbotsford-Sumas Detachment
This 6-man Detachment was a great place
to learn and talk about an eye-opener for a
young fellow who had led a pretty cloistered
life. We were definitely now in the gutters
with the type of people we had to deal with.
Since I was only 19, I had to get written
permission from the Officer Commanding
Chilliwack Sub-Division to be able to drive
police cars, and get an endorsement to that
effect on my driver’s licence. To familiarize
myself with the Detachment area, the Sgt.
gave me a handful of court Summons’, and
one of the two police cars, and told me to go
find the places and serve the documents. My investment in a map was a good thing. In those
days, there was no ‘training program’ for rookies. Newbies just got on with the job, and if they
needed help hopefully a more senior member was on shift as well. You learned fast.
I couldn’t go into bars (off duty), or even vote, yet here I was doing a ‘grown-up’ job; breaking up
domestic fights…people my parents’ age, wrestling with drunks and other obnoxious fools,
arresting prominent people, and the list goes on.
Above the office were 2 apartments, rented to
members by the Municipality for $35 a month.
They were both occupied when I arrived, so
one of the members offered me a camp cot in
his living room. Not at all comfortable, and he
was quite the boozer, so sleep was whenever
he passed out and kicked out his
acquaintances. Fortunately, the other tenant
was soon transferred so I got my first, very
own (furnished), 1-bedroom apartment. This
is the view from my living room window
looking south down South Fraser Way to the
US border about 2 miles distant.
To the left in the above photo, but not in it, you can
take in this view of Sumas Prairie and Mount Baker,
an extinct volcano in Washington State. It’s a view
I’ll never grow tired of.
June 2017
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