Getting to know your Sergeant

Times Reporter    

 

RCMP officers put their lives on the line every day trying to make the community feel safer. 

In his 24 years of service, Staff Sgt. Kevin Reilly has seen it all, but just like anyone else has to enjoy life outside the police uniform. 

“I am involved in the community in regards to what we do – whether it was (the) weekend for Canada Day doing Red Serge duties along with a dunk tank that raises money,” said Reilly. 

There are a lot of community events that are attended by police and other well-known people in the town.

“I am a member at the golf club here and we do the EMS golf tournament, I was the one that started that here seven years ago along with Dave Hamilton, Rob Witty and other EMS coordinators,” said Reilly.

Being a soccer player since a young age, he likes to stay active with the sport as he helps out with coaching local teams. 

“I grew up playing a lot of sports – but mainly soccer and played pretty seriously, playing on provincial and national teams,” said Reilly.

Growing up in Vancouver Reilly had a keen interest in refereeing and believes that was a stepping-stone for his future. 

“As a 10-year-old kid I got involved with refereeing which had a large part to with it. I did that for a number of years before I went to England and until I got into the RCMP,” he said. 

When Reilly started working as an officer, he continued on refereeing for a while in places where he was stationed such as Fort McMurray and Edmonton. 

Reilly has been stationed in Alberta for his whole career and some of the towns were very unique to say the least. 

“I was in Fort McMurray until ‘99 and then went to a place called Fox Lake, I was the first member posted there,” said Reilly.

“You have to hop on a plane in Fort Vermilion to fly in because it is only accessible by plane, in the winter they have an ice road. I was there for two years.” 

The life of an officer can be an intense one, but can be an appreciative way to give back to the community.