P.E.I. RCMP officer says death of friend and colleague factor in retirement decision

BRUDENELL, P.E.I. — RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler mentioned the loss of life of a buddy and fellow member final 12 months was a giant consider her resolution to retire following a 34-year profession.

Butler, 53, who Prince Edward Islanders grew to become conversant in by way of her position in media relations, will dangle up her uniform for good after her shift on June 10.

“An enormous a part of the choice was the loss of life of a member who began in P.E.I. the identical time as me,” Butler mentioned in an interview on the Montague detachment on June 8. “She retired two years in the past after which came upon she had most cancers and handed away on my birthday final 12 months. So unhappy. She didn’t get to take pleasure in her retirement or pension, in order that’s once I determined it was time for me to retire.”

Butler added that she and her husband, Greg, additionally constructed a brand new residence in Stanhope the place she needs to spend extra time.

“I need to benefit from the seashore, do some strolling and revel in a extra enjoyable way of life.”

Her dream

Butler was born in P.E.I., however her father, an RCMP member, was transferred to Clarenville, N.L., when she was a bit of greater than a 12 months previous.

It wasn’t lengthy after that Butler instructed her father she would in the future be a part of the drive and observe within the household footsteps, noting that her grandfather had additionally been an RCMP member.

“Proper from once I was three years previous, I keep in mind saying I needed to be a police officer,” Butler mentioned. “As I grew up, that by no means modified. I at all times needed to be a Mountie; it was my dream.”

Butler, who will retire as operations NCO for Kings District, mentioned she was surrounded by RCMP members by way of her childhood and teenage years, whether or not it was her mother and father internet hosting suppers or being taken on ride-alongs.

“Our place was type of a gathering place for members.”

When she was in highschool, Butler mentioned her father was about to move to a name a couple of deadly collision when he turned to his daughter and requested her to return alongside.

“He mentioned, ‘Should you actually need to be a policeman you must come,’” Butler mentioned. “I stayed with him as he performed the investigation.”

Butler utilized for the RCMP after she graduated highschool. On the identical time, she enrolled in French programs on the College of Laval in Quebec Metropolis, explaining that being bilingual regarded good on her utility.

Shortly earlier than her nineteenth birthday, she was sworn in at RCMP headquarters in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Coming residence

Throughout her six months of coaching at RCMP Depot Division in Regina, Sask., her instructors requested her to select her high three decisions for her first posting (all RCMP trainees are requested for his or her high three decisions).

Butler instructed them she didn’t care.

“Look again now, I used to be 19 years previous. I had by no means had a paycheque. I didn’t personal my very own automobile; all I had was a suitcase. And I used to be adventurous. To me, wherever they have been going to see me was going to be an journey. So, I instructed them, ‘shock me.’”

Because it seems, her first posting was L Division in P.E.I.

Butler’s first day on the job was June 1, 1989.

She was transferred to the Souris detachment in 1991.

“That was one in every of my favorite postings,” she mentioned. “Individuals would at all times need to feed me. We used to should ship warrants for unpaid tickets, they usually’d invite me in as a result of they’d simply baked a cake. I liked the ambiance in Souris.”

Butler’s duties in P.E.I. additionally included driving for or guarding VIPs. She served as a bodyguard to Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, the Earl and Duchess of Wessex, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, and plenty of prime ministers.

Amusing calls

She additionally met her husband whereas posted to Souris. Butler was racing to a name with the lights and siren going when she misplaced management of her patrol automobile and smashed right into a truck, two automobiles and a transport truck that have been all sitting on a on the market lot the place Greg was working.

“Should you’re going to like me after that, it’s real love, I assume,” she laughed.

That wasn’t the one amusing name she attended.

Butler mentioned she and one other officer have been chasing a suspect on foot when the individual was taken down by a bug zapper in somebody’s yard.

Butler additionally by accident subjected her husband to pepper spray after getting hit on a name one night time. Despite the fact that she showered earlier than going to mattress, there was nonetheless sufficient of the spray in her hair that made her husband’s eyes sting when he awoke.

One other time, Butler mentioned she and an officer in one other patrol automobile have been racing to a name when the opposite officer, who was simply forward of her, hit a skunk. Butler’s window was down, and he or she was hit by spray brought on by the influence.

“Needed to throw my entire uniform out after that,” she laughed.

Abroad responsibility

Her service included some severe assignments as properly.

Butler did two excursions abroad, one in Kosovo in 2002 the place she was a part of a United Nations mission to research conflict crimes and human intercourse trafficking. Her work concerned serving to households discover a liked one for burial.

She additionally spent near a 12 months in Palestine in 2019, working with a workforce that investigated household violence complaints. Butler helped create a system the place ladies who had been sexually assaulted or abused may name 112 and attain a police unit devoted to defending ladies.

“That was actually rewarding,” Butler mentioned. “You’re feeling such as you’re making a distinction.”

Secret expertise

Cpl. Glenn Dudley, who has labored with Butler since 2010, mentioned a 34-year profession is exceptional within the drive nowadays.

“That’s an enormous accomplishment,” Dudley instructed SaltWire Community on June 9, including that the additional time will give Butler an opportunity to spend extra time within the kitchen. “She’s an incredible baker. I’ve really traded cooking classes for deck furnishings. Her cake baking abilities are subsequent stage.”

As she continued packing her workplace throughout the interview on June 8, Butler mentioned there’s one side of the job that also bothers her.

“I nonetheless have a really passionate dislike of impaired drivers,” she mentioned. “I believe that our tradition doesn’t do sufficient to cease impaired driving. It’s nonetheless as unhealthy now because it was once I began. It’s unhappy as a result of it’s one thing we will repair.”

Butler mentioned she served on a committee that introduced in higher know-how for roadside breathalyzer units. Nonetheless, that doesn’t get to the basis of the issue.

“Individuals should culturally consider that it’s incorrect, and I don’t suppose we’re there but.”

Prime 5

Following are issues RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler needs to do extra of or accomplish in retirement:

• Educate scrapbooking lessons as a method of coping with stress.
• Change into a vegetable and flower gardener.
• Journey to Eire and Scotland.
• Undertake a pet.
• Signal as much as be an RCMP reservist and assist when and if wanted.

Dave Stewart is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. @DveStewart