Who would have thought that a rock drummer, pounding away on his kit trying to make his way as a musician playing the club scene in Montreal in the late 90s and early 2000s, would end up being the public face of the West Shore RCMP in Langford in 2015?
Const. Alexandre Berube wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have, if youB次元官网网址檇 have asked him back when he was trying to become the next Lars Ulrich.
Unlike all young boys who go through phases of wanting to be firefighters, police officers, doctors or members of other helpful (or heroic) professions, BerubeB次元官网网址檚 phase never truly went away, despite B次元官网网址� or perhaps because of B次元官网网址� his foray into the Montreal music scene.
B次元官网网址淚f I could have made a serious living as a musician, who knows where I would be right now?B次元官网网址� he says, laughing. He recounts the story of meeting one of his fatherB次元官网网址檚 friends B次元官网网址� a police officer B次元官网网址� as a child, and thinking, B次元官网网址淗is job looks so cool. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what I want to do.B次元官网网址�
It turned out policing came quite naturally to Berube, since his natural state is one of caring, community and helping those around him in whatever way he can.
His career in law enforcement began with five years of police studies in Ottawa and Montreal, followed by a stint with the City of Montreal as a public security inspector. He dealt with bylaws and inspections, but also with motor vehicle crashes and the like, for five years before joining up with the RCMP.
When he got through the Regina academy, where all new RCMP officers go for training, he thought they were lying to him when they told him five years ago his first assignment would be on the West Shore of Greater Victoria and told him the coldest he should expect is about -5 C.
B次元官网网址淭o me, winter was always about the cold and the snow,B次元官网网址� he says, adding he got lucky, because it turns out he truly loves it here.
So just who is Const. Alexandre Berube?
He travelled throughout the globe for much of his childhood. The son of an international consultant in food technology with the government of Quebec, whenever his father was dispatched on long projects, he would bring the whole family. Berube spent a year of primary school in Brazil, studying in Portuguese, and another in Pakistan. This travel and engagement with different cultures B次元官网网址� often in developing areas of the world B次元官网网址� gave him a special affinity for those among us in need of assistance and those on the margins of society.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 also a very genuine person B次元官网网址� I will call a duck a duck and I will call an apple an apple,B次元官网网址� he says, a fitting character trait for his new RCMP role.
Berube says heB次元官网网址檚 always believed the role of the RCMP is to serve the public, but notes itB次元官网网址檚 a two-way street in terms of public engagement playing an important role in the safety and security of a community. A well-informed community is one that is happier and more able to function, and part of that functioning is watching out for its citizens, he says.
B次元官网网址淚n this role, in dealing with the media, if there are things I canB次元官网网址檛 share B次元官网网址� because obviously there will sometimes be things I canB次元官网网址檛 share B次元官网网址� I will tell you why. IB次元官网网址檓 not just going to say B次元官网网址榥o comment.B次元官网网址� I think itB次元官网网址檚 important for the public to know why weB次元官网网址檙e not releasing information. Ultimately, we need their assistance to do our job, so itB次元官网网址檚 important that they trust us and part of that is knowing why weB次元官网网址檙e doing what weB次元官网网址檙e doing.B次元官网网址�
On the flip side of that coin, he wants the public to know the success of police work is directly tied to the publicB次元官网网址檚 engagement with the department. He used the recent example of a concerned citizen calling in suspicious activity that led to Mounties catching a burglary in progress at a home in Colwood and the arrests of three of four suspects.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not asking for people to just stare out their windows looking for crime,B次元官网网址� he says, B次元官网网址渂ut itB次元官网网址檚 unreasonable to think we can have a cruiser on every corner or be everywhere. So if people will keep an eye out for each other and tell us when we need to help, weB次元官网网址檒l be more successful in protecting the community.B次元官网网址�
Out of uniform, Berube and his wife, their three year-old son and his 10 year-old stepson enjoy simply being outdoors. B次元官网网址淲e have the forests and the ocean and the mountains all at our doorstep. Even being able to just go down to the beach and throw rocks at the water is something to take advantage of.B次元官网网址�
He solemnly admits, hanging his head slightly, that he doesnB次元官网网址檛 have the room full of musical instruments anymore B次元官网网址� he just doesnB次元官网网址檛 have the time to devote to it B次元官网网址� but perks up as he pictures his three-year-old playing with the toy saxophone he received for Christmas.
B次元官网网址淗opefully heB次元官网网址檒l pick up some of my love for music and have an affinity for it, as well,B次元官网网址� he smiles. B次元官网网址淗e just loves that thing.B次元官网网址�
