From exposing political scandals at the highest level of the provincial government to alerting the public that a serial killer was on the loose, there was one voice that always seemed to be the first to break the story.
SurreyB次元官网网址檚 George Garrett has published a 285-page memoir B次元官网网址� George Garrett Intrepid Reporter B次元官网网址� that takes readers through his upbringing on a Saskatchewan farm to his time as one of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 most respected reporters.
The book goes behind the headlines he produced in his 43-year career in radio, mostly for CKNW, and is accompanied by harrowing, and occasionally humiliating, stories that happened along the way.
If something with provincial significance happened in British Columbia from 1956 to 1999, Garrett likely had a front-row seat.
Crafting the book almost entirely from memory, Garrett writes about his sometimes peculiar way of getting a story, such as the time he became a tow-truck driver in order to expose a forgery scheme. Another time, he posed as a security official to gain access to the area where securities were kept at the Vancouver Post Office. And another time, he impersonated the friend of a hostage in a prison riot by offering her a gift of flowers when she was taken to hospital.
In an interview with Peace Arch B次元官网网址 Wednesday, Garrett said thereB次元官网网址檚 one story, that when reflected upon, makes him smile.
B次元官网网址淪ome of them, youB次元官网网址檙e glad that you had the story, but thereB次元官网网址檚 an impact on people as well,B次元官网网址� he said.
Garrett spent a month riding along with the Vancouver Police Department, B次元官网网址渨hich is unusual,B次元官网网址� and always had his tape recorder ready to roll.
During one outing, Garrett and an officer were dispatched to a multi-vehicle collision that involved an impaired driver. On arrival, Garrett quickly recognized the suspect, Supreme Court Justice Davie Fulton.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 standing between Judge Fulton and the police as theyB次元官网网址檙e saying theyB次元官网网址檙e going to impose a 24-hour suspension and his vehicle will be impounded,B次元官网网址� Garrett said.
B次元官网网址淔ulton said, B次元官网网址榁ery well, if you do this to me, I shall not be a judge anymore.B次元官网网址�
Garrett said the officers began assisting Fulton into their cruiser, and Fulton, Garrett said, told the officers to B次元官网网址済o to hell.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he headline in the paper was: B次元官网网址楪o to hell,B次元官网网址� judge told cops,B次元官网网址� Garrett laughed.
Another memorable tale, but less humorous, was the night he was assaulted while covering the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992. Garrett said he was approached by a group of men who demanded his car keys.
B次元官网网址淚 said, B次元官网网址榊ou donB次元官网网址檛 want to bother with an old guy.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 from Canada.B次元官网网址� They said, B次元官网网址業t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter, youB次元官网网址檙e white,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Garrett said.
One of the men struck Garrett, breaking his upper jaw, causing him to bleed profusely. An onlooker stepped in and drove him to the hospital.
B次元官网网址淚 was lucky to get out of there alive.B次元官网网址�
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Those who were familiar with GarrettB次元官网网址檚 body of work, particularly those in law enforcement, knew of his profound respect for, and working relationship with, police officers.
Although he reported on the numerous misdeeds of officers in his four decades of work, he has always kept a certain admiration for the men and women in blue.
B次元官网网址淚f I did a story about a bad cop, I never had a problem because the good cops didnB次元官网网址檛 want them around,B次元官网网址� Garrett said, adding that he built trust with officers by not disclosing information that could hamper an investigation.
An example, Garrett said, was when he was covering the crimes and conviction of Clifford Olson.
Olson confessed to killing 11 children and young adults between the ages of nine and 18 in the early 1980s.
It was Garrett who first publicly described the string of similar murders, before OlsonB次元官网网址檚 capture, as the work of a serial killer.
B次元官网网址淚 was the first guy to say that it could be a serial killer. I did that with approval of my boss, Warren Barker. But I knew that it would frighten the community, but at the same time, Warren and I agreed that the community should be made aware that there is a serial killer likely at work,B次元官网网址� said Garrett, whose book includes a chapter titled The Monster, Clifford Olson.
B次元官网网址淲e ran it, and it caused the national media to become interested and the RCMP were forced to hold news conferences every day.B次元官网网址�
After OlsonB次元官网网址檚 capture, Garrett learned through one of his many trusted sources that the RCMP agreed to pay Olson $10,000 for each location of the hidden bodies.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 put it on the air though,B次元官网网址� Garrett said, adding that he phoned crown prosecutor John Hall at home to confirm the information.
B次元官网网址淚 said B次元官网网址楯ohn, I donB次元官网网址檛 want to bother you at home but this is important. I heard thereB次元官网网址檚 $10,000 per body offered to Olson,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Garrett recounted.
B次元官网网址淎ll he said was B次元官网网址楪eorge, I think IB次元官网网址檇 put that on the back-burner for now.B次元官网网址�
Garrett agreed not to run with the information.
B次元官网网址淭he day Olson pleaded guilty, John Hall walked by my seat in the court house and said, B次元官网网址榊ou can take that matter off the back-burner now.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
OlsonB次元官网网址檚 wife ultimately received $100,000 after he co-operated with police, the 11th body being what Olson referred to as a B次元官网网址渇reebie.B次元官网网址�
Although GarrettB次元官网网址檚 memoir recounts his steps as a journalist, he also delves into the personal details of his life. He shares the heartbreaking loss of his son in a canoeing accident, and his wifeB次元官网网址檚 devastating AlzheimerB次元官网网址檚 diagnosis.
The authorB次元官网网址檚 proceeds from the book are to be dedicated to a cause close to Garrett B次元官网网址� the
Garrett will be doing readings and signings of his book at Black Bond Books in the Semiahmoo Shopping Centre March 9 at 1:30 p.m., and at Haney Place Mall in Maple Ridge March 16 at 1:30 p.m.
His book George Garrett Intrepid Reporter, published by Harbour Publishing, is available
