BARRHEAD - The Barrhead RCMP Detachment has a new but familiar face.
About two weeks ago, Sgt. Colin Hack officially took over as the detachment's commander, replacing Sgt. Bob Dodds.
Sgt. Dodds retired from the RCMP in February after 31 years, the last 13 as Barrhead's detachment commander.
In the interim, Cpl. Filipe Vicente served as interim detachment commander.
"Barrhead is a community I am very familiar with. It was my first posting," he said. "So, it is a homecoming."
Originally from a small community in Manitoba, Hack moved to Alberta as a young man and worked as a journeyman electrician in Calgary.
However, he said he knew that would be temporary.
"I always knew I wanted to work with the dogs," he said. "It was always my dream to do that, and Barrhead, in a large part, was instrumental in allowing me to do that."
After graduating from the RCMP's training Depot in Regina, Hack was posted in Barrhead.
At the time, in 2005, Hack admitted not knowing much about the community.
But he did not come to the community totally unaware. He said that one of his relatives had property in the area.
"So I had heard of Barrhead," he said.
However, he said that regardless of familiarity, recruits from his graduating class did not get much of a say in where they were posted.
"They just sent us back to the province we were recruited from," Hack said, adding that was especially true for those recruited in Alberta. "We were told there was a shortage, so we knew we would be posted in the province; we just did not know where."
In total, Hack spent seven years in Barrhead from 2005 to 2012.
"I loved my time here. It is a great community, so I put my hand up when the sergeant position opened."
He added that he really got to know the community and its residents by coaching hockey.
"It really helped me get involved in the community," he said, starting by helping out Greg Schmidt with the Steelers. "Being involved in hockey allowed me to meet a lot of people in the community I wouldn't have otherwise met in my job."
From Barrhead, he moved to Comox Valley, where he spent five and half years with the dog unit before moving on to Grande Prairie, again as a dog handler, for another five and a half years before moving on to Parkland, Detachment, including time serving time as commander of the province's K-9 unit.
Despite coming from Manitoba, working in Calgary, Hack said he roots for the Edmonton Elks and Oilers.
Hack explained that the RCMP breeds all its dogs, German Shepherds, at its facility in Innisfail, noting the national police force has not bought a dog since 2012.
"To get into the program, you have to raise these little pups from when they are about eight weeks old," he said.
When they are about a year old, the dogs are put into the field with their handler for about five to six years before retiring.
"The timing of the move is perfect," Hack said. "I just retired my second working dog [Jock], so it was an excellent time for both of us to make the move.
Unfortunately, Hack's first dog has passed.
When he is not working, Hack enjoys spending time in the outdoors, hunting, and fishing.
Hack said he is also looking forward to becoming reacquainted with the community and, more importantly, with its residents.
"My door is always open," he said.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
