Police crest on rail switch

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Published on Sunday, November 27, 2016

By Jessie Bell

The former RM of Daly office building became headquarters for Rivers Police Department last March; the building sat empty for nearly a year following amalgamation of two municipal corporations (Rivers and Daly) in January 2015. It was renovated to accommodate Rivers Police Service, which moved from the rear of the town office. Police Chief Bruce Klassen recently arranged to have the police crest made into a sign by a Brandon firm. It is affixed to the CN switch located at the southeast corner of the building at 245 Second Avenue. When asked where the RM of Daly crest signs went, Bruce said, “They’re on the inside.” The new police signs are two-sided as the Daly signs were recycled and simply flipped over; they may be unseen by passersby but they are not forgotten.

Also not forgotten is the late Walter Chernos, who is in the station in a shadow-box framed picture, along with his medals and badges. They are hanging on a wall in the station, opposite a collection of some 100 police crests from across Canada, which were once the Mike Turnbull collection. Chernos served as chief here from 1961-92 and Turnbull as chief from 1992-2006. These men are the longest serving chiefs in the history of Rivers police.

Assisting Chief Klassen are Sgt. Bob Futrell, Const. Brett Seib and four part-time members, Andrea Kroeker, Jennifer Griffin, Max Tschuschba and Brett Morgan. They fill in for basic training or whenever the regular staff are on holiday leave or sick time.