Skip to content

Jason Burndred bids farewell to Nakusp

The RCMP officer is heading to Huston B.C. after being promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
6843nakusp160707-NAL-Burndred
Sergeant Jason Burndred smiles as he receives a plaque

Corporal Jason Burndred arrived in Nakusp in July, 2015. By the time this article is published, he will have left Nakusp, after being promoted to the role of Sergeant, and will be on his way to Huston, B.C.

Before he left, Sgt. Burndred sat down with the Arrow Lakes News to talk about his time here in Nakusp.

 

What brought you here?

I got transferred from the integrated homicide investigation team in Surrey.

 

How long had you been part of that team?

Three years.

 

What were your initial thoughts of Nakusp?

I was taken aback by the beauty and the serenity of the area. I thought it was a nice place to be able to work and serve the community.

What have been some interesting moments or highlights of your time here?

I’ve got to say the members I’ve had the pleasure of serving with and the public servants as well. It’s just such a great group of people. Some of the highlights would include the initiatives we took on as a team. Some of the crime reduction strategies we did were successful. I liked the members’ participation in the community in terms of parades, going to the Legion on Remembrance Day, and getting involved in the community.

It was a very easy place for me to supervise the members here in Nakusp and the New Denver detachments really care about the community and they did a good job.

I have to give credit to my public servant here in Nakusp, Debbie McCoy. She’s kind of an unsung hero that does a lot of stuff behind the scenes that nobody really sees, but is integral. She’s got 19 going on 20 years and I couldn’t have done it without her.

I enjoyed working with the mayor and the other people in the village office of Nakusp and in New Denver as well. It was just a fantastic place.

 

Have there been any difficult or awkward encounters during your time here?

There are always unique challenges, no matter where you go. There were some unique things, things I had never dealt with.

I had never dealt with a protest, with the toads. I had never really dealt with people who identify themselves as Freeman of the Land. It had some unique challenges, but it’s been an enjoyable year. I have never come into work and not enjoyed coming into work. It’s a fantastic place, and that’s largely in part to the community here. It’s very supportive of the police.

 

You mentioned initiatives, like crime reduction, what else?

We did more traffic enforcement. Road safety was a priority, and getting involved with the schools here as well, having a more positive presence in the schools.

 

Who will be replacing you?

My job is up for promotion right now. Lee Bellamy is going to be taking over right now as the acting corporal. There will be a new corporal coming at some point.

 

Where are you off to now?

I’m off to Huston, British Columbia, as the Sergeant in charge of the Huston and Grand Isle detachments. It’s about three to four hours away from Prince George on the way to Prince Rupert. It’s approximately 3,000 people, is my understanding, and Grand Isle is an offshoot of that.

I’m going to miss it here. I really thought it was a positive experience. There wasn’t a day I didn’t like coming in here.

 

Any parting words for the residents of Nakusp?

Take care, thank you very much for welcoming me in and if I ever get to come back here again, or work with the community again, I hope that they accept me and take me back as they did one year ago.