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Lake Country man honoured 39 years after retiring from the RCMP

Gary Trudell was an auxiliary member from 1973-1983

A Lake Country man was honoured 39 years after he retired from the RCMP thanks to an officer in Richmond.

Gary Trudell, 82, retired from the Jasper Detachment and Highway Patrol in 1983 after serving as an Auxiliary Member for ten years.

Trudell met Sergeant Sanjesh Lal from Richmond RCMP when Trudell was looking to sell an executive sword.

Through conversation, Lal learned from Trudell that there was no written record from his time with the force and he never received any parting recognition.

Lal passed along the message in hopes of getting Trudell the recognition he deserves.

Kelowna RCMP Supt. Kara Triance presented Trudell with a certificate on Sept. 1 to thank him for his volunteer service in the K Division (Alberta).

“I truly just wanted to take this moment to say thank you on behalf of the organization for your commitment and your dedication,” Triance stated. “When I learned a little bit about your story I thought it was an opportunity that we could share it with the community.”

Having retired nearly four decades ago, Trudell said he never expected this day would come.

“I never even thought about it until this man came along,” Trudell said, pointing to Lal.

In his decade as an auxiliary member, Trudell said he gave 50 to 60 hours a week to the Jasper Detachment.

Trudell encourages young people to get involved with the force, noting he would do it again if he could.

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@thebrittwebster
brittany.webster@blackpress.ca

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