The Sea to Sky officially has a new officer in charge.
Insp. Robert Dykstra was announced Wednesday, Feb. 3 as the newly appointed head of the RCMP’s Sea to Sky detachment. He will oversee operations in Whistler, Pemberton, Squamish, Lions Bay, Bowen Island, D’Arcy and Birken, and replaces outgoing commander Insp. Kara Triance, who left the post after four years last fall to return to her hometown of Kelowna.
“On behalf of the Whistler community, I’d like to thank our outgoing Officer-in-Charge, Inspector Kara Triance for her service and commitment to our communities,” said Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton in a release. “We look forward to continuing our work with the RCMP on local issues and policing. Sgt. Robert Dykstra brings extensive experience and passion for community safety and engagement which will be an incredible asset as we undertake this work together.”
Dykstra brings nearly a decade of public service at the federal level to the job, as well as master’s degrees in public policy and administration. Joining the RCMP’s frontline ranks in 2007, “his experience ranges from major crime to specialized investigations to crisis negotiation,” the release went on. He has served in Ottawa, Nova Scotia, and remote regions throughout the Arctic, including, most recently, in Nunavut.
“Much progress has been made in the delivery of policing services over the last four years due to the hard work and dedication of the officers and employees of the Sea-to-Sky RCMP and the support and involvement of all community partners,” said Dykstra. “My intention is to build on the established foundation of positive relationships and partnerships to ensure we are providing the best policing services aimed at keeping our communities safe and secure.”
Dykstra and his family will be relocating from Nunavut to the Sea to Sky.
“My family and I are looking forward to our move to B.C. from Nunavut and integrating into the vibrant, diverse, and welcoming communities of the Sea-to-Sky corridor. It is truly a dream come true for us to be able to continue our journey in such an amazing place,” he said.
The RCMP has yet to name a replacement for Staff Sgt. Paul Hayes, the North Zone commander in charge of the Whistler and Pemberton detachments, who left the job last month for a provincial role in the Lower Mainland.
Pique will have more on this story in next week’s print edition.
