Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 24, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A6 A 6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2015 SATURDAY SPECIAL winnipegfreepress. com N EEPAWA - Grant Hurrell knew what was coming, after news broke that an RCMP officer and an auxiliary constable had been shot last weekend in Alberta. The officers were shot after stopping a stolen vehicle. RCMP Const. David Matthew Wynn succumbed to his injuries. Auxiliary Const. Derek Walter Bond, serving in a voluntary position, was shot in the arm and torso and has been released from hospital Hurrell, 56, is one of 2,000 volunteer RCMP constables, like Bond, across Canada. He knew the question coming from his wife. " She asked me if I was going to quit. I told her no," Hurrell said. She replied: " That's what I thought you'd say." Mention Hurrell's name in Neepawa, and many people won't know who he is. He's better known as Hymie, and later Hymie the Haircutter when he opened his barbershop, ever since he reminded someone of Hymie the Robot on TV's Get Smart . But don't be fooled. In a classic Get Smart- ian " secret identity" scheme, the mild- mannered barber by day really is a crime fighter by night. Hurrell is entering his 16th year as an auxiliary constable with the RCMP, and, to quote famous Agent 86... loving it. He's given tickets, made arrests, recovered a murder weapon, restrained people who resisted arrest, " been in a few foot chases," and he does it for free. He once even ticketed his own son for carrying open liquor. The fine was $ 187. His son didn't talk to him for weeks, but they laugh about it now. " Well, I had to be fair," says Dad. " I love it," said Hurrell, about his role as auxiliary constable. He goes out almost every Friday and Saturday night assisting Mounties in their patrol cars. Auxiliary constables never parol alone. He gets a cap, uniform, baton, handcuffs, pepper spray, bullet- resistant vest - everything but the sidearm. People in Winnipeg almost always see police officers paired up in patrol cars, but Mounties in rural communities often travel solo because there isn't the manpower for teams. So auxiliary constables such as Hurrell become a second set of eyes and ears, as well as a sounding board for trained officers. The job can be dangerous, of course. In addition to the recent shooting in Alberta, RCMP Auxiliary Const. Glen Evely, 39, of Vernon, B. C., was killed in 2004 when a stolen truck ran a red light and struck his cruiser. Hurrell has had injuries but nothing serious. He popped out his back once and separated his shoulder another time. He can recall only two murders handled by the Neepawa RCMP detachment since he started volunteering. In one, the suspect was at the scene, and Hurrell reached into the suspect's pocket and pulled out the murder weapon, a knife. There's almost no comparison between auxiliary constables and their city cousins, police cadets. Police cadets gets paid between $ 16 to $ 18 an hour and have to undergo a seven- week training course. Their uniforms - sky- blue shirts or jackets, with CADET in bold lettering- are clearly distinguishable from regular police officers. Cadets do tasks such as directing traffic, guarding crime scenes and escorting intoxicated people to the drunk tank, freeing up police officers to attend more serious tasks. For RCMP volunteers, uniforms are only slightly different from paid officers. The main differences are the volunteers don't have the yellow stripe on their pants, and the side patches are slightly different, stating their ' auxiliary' rank, Hurrell said. Auxiliary constables don't get paid. They have insurance, but Hurrell wasn't certain of the coverage, and Ottawa, which handled any questions about auxiliary constables, did not respond to interview requests. They receive from one to three weeks of basic training, including first aid, CPR, RCMP incident management and public and police safety courses, which include baton and pepper- spray training. The volunteer officers are trained in things such as how to take proper notes, what to watch for and how to de- escalate situations. But training also includes an opportunity to fire a nine- millimetre handgun and shotgun because in a worst- case scenario, where a member is hurt, an auxiliary constable may be required to use one. The position of police cadet is more of a stepping stone to try out policing as a possible career. Auxiliary constables are more community volunteers, although some volunteers do become full- fledged officers. "( Auxiliary constables) are a great boon to us," said Const. Paul Human, who works out of the Selkirk RCMP detachment but who was filling in on the media relations desk this month. For example, constables often come from another province, so a local volunteer constable can help the newbie out with knowledge of the area, including navigating back roads. Human has seen the role from both sides. He served as an auxiliary constable for four years out of Portage la Prairie. " I loved it. It definitely gives you an eye- opener of what police deal with, not just the situations but the job, like all the paperwork, court deadlines, dealing with supervisors, the whole atmosphere," Human said. " When the lights and sirens are going, your adrenalin is pumping, and you're thinking of all the things that might happen and what you would do." Hurrell's shift begins Friday night. " My wife goes to bed about 11 p. m. and that's when I start." It continues until 3- 4 a. m. but can go longer. On Saturdays, he starts as early as 8: 30 p. m. " It's almost a habit," he said. " Sometimes I don't get home until 8 or 9 a. m." Suspects will often scoff that Hurrell's not a real constable. " I get that a lot. When they say that, I say I've got a real uniform and a real handcuffs and, if you want, you can go in back of a real police car," he said. " I'm a peace officer. I have power of arrest. I've arrested for everything from open beer to murder." One of the things that keeps him coming back is the officers themselves. " They're just such good people. You look forward to going out with them," Hurrell said. In 2012, Hurrell received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Award Medal for his community service, which includes volunteering as auxiliary officer, coaching youth sports, and chairing and refereeing the Neepawa/ Filipino Basketball League. bill. redekop@ freepress. mb. ca RCMP volunteer auxiliary constables know the risks, but love the job About the program The RCMP Auxiliary Constable Program was first introduced in 1963. Interested applicants must complete an RCMP volunteer application form and submit it to their nearest detachment. The program is available across Canada, except in Ontario and Quebec. To be considered an RCMP Auxiliary Constable, a candidate must: . Be at least 19 years of age; . Have a mature and responsible attitude; . Be a Canadian citizen of good character; . Have successfully completed high school or attain equivalent work- related experience; . Possess a valid driver's licence; . Have no business or employment that may cause a conflict of interest; . Possess current certification in standard- level first aid qualifications including CPR and maintain these standards through re- certification as required. Some detachments may have additional requirements based on local needs. - source: RCMP MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Before Selkirk Const. Paul Human became a full- time member, he volunteered as an auxiliary constable for four years. Neepawa's Grant Hurrell, better known as Hymie the Haircutter because of his barbershop, has been an RCMP auxiliary constable for 16 years. BILL REDEKOP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS OPEN ROAD BILL REDEKOP To serve AND PROTECT A_ 06_ Jan- 24- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A6 1/ 23/ 15 7: 31: 04 PM ;