Ceremony held for new Rivers Police office
- Details
- Published on Friday, March 11, 2016
By Sheila Runions
Banner Staff
The Rivers Banner reported in January that Rivers Police Station was going to make it’s fourth move in a 102-year history of serving the town. Magnum Woodworks (Rivers) and Jeanie’s Interiors (Rapid City) spent parts of three months (December-February) renovating the former RM of Daly office into a suitable police station. Members began making the move across the street on Feb. 22 and on Tuesday, March 8 a grand opening was planned.
The official ceremony was witnessed by nine people, who listened to chief Bruce Klassen read a short speech. He said, “Today is an exciting day and a new chapter for Rivers Police Service. Sir Robert Peel said it best so many years ago that ‘police are the people and people are the police.’ We need the help of our citizens to be effective, and trust is something that is earned, not taken for granted. A police service has to work diligently to continue to earn that trust. It is our pledge to continue to work hard for this community. This police service has been in existence since 1913; it has an honoured past and an exciting new future.
“This new building is a place where people can come for help, but it’s also a place to talk to us, discuss community needs and demands. If we work together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve. We look forward to this new chapter and I believe this building will serve us well for many years to come.”
He asked Rev. Glenna Beauchamp, who is a member of Rivers Police Board, to offer a prayer of dedication. She asked God for a “blessing on this place and the members of Rivers Police Service who work hard to enforce our laws and keep us safe. Watch over them as they watch over us.”
Bruce then asked “retired chief Walter Chernos*, who was a dedicated officer who set the bar high for what a police officer should be, to cut the ribbon, along with Mayor Todd Gill, to our new building.”
Following the ribbon cutting, Todd congratulated Bruce on the “project and for bringing together this community. I commend you on the professionalism you bring to this department.”
* Chernos is the longest-serving chief of Rivers’ force, having done so from 1961-92; he is now 88 years old and still lives in his own home at 312 Second Avenue.
