by PAUL RAYNER

Although there have been many changes over 30 years in the RCMP detachment in Boissevain, the one constant was recently honoured for her years of service.

The RCMP recently awarded clerk Linda Beard with the Long Service Award. She was presented with the honour on June 4 at Lower Fort Garry by a very special visitor – His Royal Highness Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex and third son of Queen Elizabeth II. Beard has been in the local RCMP office since January 3, 1978. Beard said her reasons for starting 30 years ago were fairly basic.

“When I first started, I was newly married,” Beard explained. “It was a job. I was trained as a secretary and I was always in awe of the RCMP. I jumped at the chance.”

Hired as a secretary, she has seen a number of changes in the office, including those in her own position. For example, when she began, she had 15 ½ hours per week. Those hours fluctuated, due to funding and duty requirements, going down to seven at one point before ending up at the present 18 ¾ hours per week.

As well, as in most places of work, changes in technology played a role. She said when she began, all of the work was manual, by hand. In the years since, there has been a great deal of computer training and upgrades, with a number of different police programs used, including some still current.

Also, there was the amalgamation between Boissevain, Killarney and Deloraine into one Turtle Mountain Detachment in 1999. Although there is a little more autonomy in the Boissevain office, with the return of the corporal position, than in the early days of the move, there is still a great deal of intertwining between the offices in the three communities as opposed to the earlier years.

Thirty years has presented many personnel changes to the Boissevain office. Beard made a list of all of the officers who she worked with in Boissevain, and came up with a total of 39 since 1978. This is strictly those who she actively worked with in Boissevain, not those from the Killarney and Deloraine offices. Out of those, there were six corporals, starting with Al Roney in 1978 to the present Terry Lussier. One of these, Ted Knight, was actually a part of the overall picture three times – first as a constable, second as a corporal and thirdly as the first overall commander of the Turtle Mountain Detachment.

“He was a re-run three times,” Beard laughed.

The staffing numbers are quite similar to those when she first started. Beard said there was a corporal and three constables in 1978, whereas now it is a corporal and two constables.

Although classified as a clerk, Beard said she is basically support staff, doing secretarial and counter work, answering the radio and other essential office tasks.

“Basically, my job is to assist the members.”

Thirty years on, she has no obvious plans of leaving.

“I really enjoy my job. Any job has frustrations you don’t enjoy, but obviously I enjoy the work or I would not be around this long."