The sergeant who has spent just over three years as the commander of the RCMP detachment here has moved on, and with a promotion.
Sergeant Jason Burndred is being promoted to Staff Sergeant and will be based in Nelson in the Kootenays as the RCMP’s operations support non-commissioned officer for the nine RCMP detachments in that area.
It’s familiar ground for Burndred who at one time was based in Nakusp as a corporal in charge of the detachment there and the one just south in New Denver.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” said Burndred last week as he was cleaning out his office. “The community has been excellent and we’ve accomplished a lot.”
Burndred specifically mentioned responding to community concerns about drug use and trafficking.
“Several years ago we had some bad people moving in for the drug trade and we’ve had a lot of success in dealing with that,” he said.
Burndred singled out Paul Batley, the detachment’s victim services manager, for particular praise.
“As an educator before and since coming here in victim services, I’ve had the great pleasure in working with him. He’s really one of those unsung heroes. A lot of what he does is behind the scenes. I’m very proud of the work he’s done with clients,” Burndred emphasized.
Burndred has spent his entire RCMP career in B.C. — in the south Okanagan, in the Kootenays and in Surrey. He moved to Houston in 2016.
The RCMP have yet to name a replacement for Burndred and for the time being, the detachment commander responsibility falls to Corporal Mark Smaill.
“He’s going to be very good. He has a lot of experience here, first as a constable and then leaving and then coming back as a corporal,” Burndred said.