Constable Taylor Sippel is one of two new RCMP Constables to arrive in Nakusp since summer.
Arrow Lakes News sat down with Constable Sippel for a chance to get to know the new member.
How long have you been with the RCMP?
“Just over six years.”
What made you decide to become a member?
“I was with paid on call Fire and Rescue for a number of years, and I enjoyed it and I enjoyed helping people, and I kind of figured that another way of doing that was with RCMP. I’ve always been a people person, I’m very chatty and I like helping people. The fire department is really hard to get into, which is what I wanted to do also, but I said I was going to try this and see how it goes, and it ended up being the right career.”
When did you arrive in Nakusp?
“At the end of November, I think it was Nov. 28.”
Where were you previously stationed?
“In Coquitlam. I did four years of general duty in Coquitlam, and then I went to a rural section and did almost two years there. I policed a couple of communities that were boat access only, I did a lot of the hunting and fishing regulations out there as a different type of policing. It was kind of nice to come in here. It would have been different for me if I didn’t do any of that, it would have been hard for me to transition.”
Transition how?
“Just different type of policing from a big city to a smaller community. It’s more one on one, first name basis, dealing with issues sometimes a little differently, but also knowing people too, and being able to say good morning to them, and how was your day, and follow up with them, because in the big city you don’t do that as much. It is quite nice, I do enjoy that.”
What brought you to Nakusp?
“I used to go camping in Burton when I was a kid, so I’m familiar with the area, and I’ve got family in the Okanagan area, and we like the Kootenays and the Okanagan area, we just want to be closer to my family and my wife’s family, and we wanted to get out of the big city. So getting out of the big city and into a smaller community for a couple of years, and being closer to family.”
What were your first impressions of the community?
“Very welcoming, everybody has been phenomenal. They’ve been great to my wife, telling her about Strong Start and all the programs for our young one. In the big city it’s a bit of a different mind frame, so it’s very nice to feel welcomed in this job, because a lot of the time we don’t get that. I felt very welcomed, and it was a good feeling.”
What do you think of Nakusp now that you’ve been here a few months?
“I love it. I’m enjoying it. It would be nice if spring would come. I’m happy here, I like it, it’s a good post.”
Have you been surprised about anything since moving here?
“I guess it’s a bit of an eye opener for me. Coming from a big city, you’re used to having for the most part good cell reception, good radio reception, and then you come out here and you go five kilometers down the highway and you don’t have cellphone service, and your portable may or may not work, our computers may or may not work, that for me was a little different. Other than that it was an eye opener for me just dealing with the job itself.”
How long do you think you’ll be here?
“I’m here for three years for sure, and if I extend, I can always ask for another year.”