July 11

Although the crowd was small, the welcome was enthusiastic for this week’s ASK Salt Spring guest, RCMP Sergeant Clive Seabrook. We began with his recognition and appreciation of the land on which we live and love, even though this joy is often tempered with a heavy heart, recognizing past injustices. 

With a smile, Clive told us that he is “excited and delighted” by. . . everything! He continues to love his work and his ability to make a difference. He is very proud of the work done every day by the police officers and staff at the Salt Spring RCMP detachment. Although there is always room for improvement, over the past five years there has been tangible evidence of success with calls for service plummeting from just over 3,400 five years ago to under 2,500 now. 

He told us that, when he arrived, he saw a divided community with prejudgments and misunderstandings between the different socioeconomic groups calling Salt Spring Island their home. He saw retailers suffering, fearful that their lifeblood – customers – did not feel safe to shop. He also saw too many who were unfairly stigmatized as “homeless, drug dealers, alcoholics, and sometimes even criminals.“ Clive and his officers’ determination that all be treated equally is helping our community navigate these divides. 

Much of Clive’s job is maintaining that balance between treating everyone equally and intervening when actions threaten the rights of others. It is a delicate balance that at times can be difficult as police try to support those who need it the most while also making sure that this support is not at the expense of public safety. It is that gentle maintenance of this delicate balance that is helping heal our community. 

Clive is also pleased that our RCMP officers will soon be wearing body cameras (https://vpd.ca/body-worn-cameras/). These cameras are expected to help Salt Spring residents and visitors feel better protected and more trusting of the RCMP. These body-worn cameras help increase protection and trust between police and the community because the video evidence collected provides an independent, unbiased, and objective way to capture interactions between the community and police officers.

As his vest is already loaded, we asked what would go when the camera arrives. Nothing. . . everything Clive has on his vest is mandated and more space will simply have to be found. As these vests that Clive and his offices carry all day, everyday already weigh 30 pounds, we gained a respect for a very small component of the physical demands of the job.

Rather than the physical demands of the job, it is largely the emotional demands that have resulted in Salt Spring being designated as a Limited Duration posting. This designation requires regular transfers to other communities, often only allowing officers to stay in a community for 4 years. While it may seem crazy that Salt Spring is designated as remote or isolated, the challenges here are different. Members are on call between shifts and often work long hours with limited resources. To counter this, our officers do a good job of getting rest and enjoying life on Salt Spring. And, the RCMP does an excellent job of encouraging officers to take care of their physical and mental health – something all police officers are getting better at doing.

As Clive is in his fifth year, having received an extension last year, it is highly likely that he will soon be transferred. With a home, children in school, and a working wife, transferring is generally not Clive’s desire. Clive is working with the RCMP staffing office to find a solution that is the best fit for his family.

When asked what we could do to extend his stay with us, Clive cautioned against a flurry of letter writing on his behalf. He instead, suggested a plea to RCMP Headquarters from local government for more engagement in the decision about who is placed in this important position. This request could note that Clive’s position is one of the very few leadership positions in our community essential to maintaining (or damaging) that delicate balance of peace in our community. Stay tuned. . . . 

Clive credited some of the success he and his officers have encountered deescalating incidents with their commitment to build relationships before incidents occur. This involves many hours of simply walking around on foot patrols, getting to know folks, and building trust. He has found that this foundation of mutual respect has been very helpful when an individual is in the throws of an emotion-laden incident, often allowing for quick deescalation. 

Clive also credited some of the important local volunteer efforts that have immensely helped deescalate incidents. He spoke appreciatively of the Chuan Society and their recent very successful Hearth on Drake Road (https://saltspringexchange.com/2024/12/11/kajin-and-the-chuan-spociety-celebrates-the-opening-of-the-hearth/), soon to reopen as The Neighbourhood House, calling their work “amazing.” Clive and Kajin meet regularly to share experiences as well as concerns. The addition of this welcoming and healthy space has made a huge difference, effectively reducing numbers – and potential conflicts – at each location. 

Clive also spoke with enthusiasm of the good work being done by the Ambassador Program (https://saltspringexchange.com/2023/06/28/ask-salt-spring-with-the-coordinators-of-the-new-ambassador-program/). Calling these Ambassadors “worth their weight in gold,” Clive is pleased that there is a satisfying growth in number of Ambassadors walking around Ganges offering a smile and a greeting. A deeply caring group of volunteers, these Ambassadors are there to listen, support, empower, and, if appropriate, offer referrals. Ambassadors are clear that they are not trying to fix or change folks but to merely support and accept. Want to become an Ambassador? Reach out to Gloria, Ambassador Program Coordinator: gloria.hunter.june1950@gmail.com. 

One success of which Clive is proud is that partnership with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT) to remove abandoned vehicles from our streets. When he arrived, he soon learned that the word was spreading that Salt Spring was a cool place to camp and hang out, virtually free of hassle and rules and, when there were rules on the books, enforcement of them. While not the case with all campers, too many of these transient people brought with them criminal records. Eventually, many moved on, often abandoning their vehicles on our roads, MoTT property. While police are limited in what they can do about campers left on private property, Clive is very thankful for MoTT’s assistance with abandoned vehicles on our roads. 

It is the RCMP’s job to determine that the vehicle (car, van, truck, trailer, or RV) in question was abandoned. Clive and his officers leave a tag on the vehicle letting the owner know that they have 72 hours to move their vehicle. Concurrently, they send a registered letter to the owner giving 10 days to claim their vehicle. When this time has passed and the vehicle is legally abandoned, it is the responsibility of MoTT to tow the vehicle off Salt Spring and dispose of it. While the vehicle portions of these campers can often be recycled and sold for parts, the camping portions of these vehicles must be dismantled and taken to the landfill – a very expensive undertaking. 

Luckily – and largely due to Clive’s tenacity and persistence – this RCMP partnership is working and abandoned campers seldom litter our roads for longer than the law demands. 

Every year, there are hundreds of mental health calls to our RCMP. Clive and his officers are well trained at deescalating these incidents, but they recognize that addressing these incidents on the day is not enough. They know that we must attempt to address the deep-seated, underlying causes for these mental health emergencies. Clive deeply appreciates the work being done by our local Mental Health and Addictions office, Salt Spring Health Advancement Newtwork (SHAN), and the Mental Wellness Initiative (to name a few) and looks forward to supporting them in any way possible.

Our time already over, we thanked Clive for his kindness; toughness when needed; compassion for all; cheerfulness in the face of a very challenging job; and tenacity developing and supporting the partnerships needed for a safer, healthier Salt Spring. (Thank-you, Clive!)  

Just in case you are interested. . . .This report has been written by Gayle Baker, founder of ASK Salt Spring, currently also a Salt Spring Local Community Commissioner. It has been reviewed and edited by Clive.