A long and distinguished career is coming to an end in the RCMP.
Sgt. Dave Bell’s last day on the job at the Vernon/North Okanagan RCMP is today after 35 years.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had an extremely diverse, challenging and well rounded career,” said Bell, who has been the commander of North Okanagan Traffic Services since 2015.
He joined the forces in 1981 in Winnipeg and he spent the first 13 years in general duty and traffic services in Coquitlam and Langley. That was followed by 17 years in plainclothes, with 10 of those investigating complaints of police officer misconduct as a member of the professional standards units at E Division headquarters, Surrey and Burnaby.
Five years was also spent as a member of the customs and excise section of the border integrity unit in Vancouver, mainly investigating gun smuggling cases. During this time, he was seconded to two major projects — one involving an unsolved homicide and the second was related to Internet child exploitation.
But after a long time in plainclothes, he decided to return to detachment policing, first in Burnaby and then the North Okanagan.
“Coming to the Okanagan has been a terrific experience and a wonderful way to finish my career,” said Bell, who will remain in Vernon.
I wanted new challenges, to continue learning and I’ve been able to do that.”