More than 80 per cent of Canadians live in cities, and itB次元官网网址檚 in these urban areas that RCMP and city police forces are tasked with protecting the public, detecting and preventing crime, and maintaining law and order.
But away from the cities, crime takes on a different light B次元官网网址� and for that, you need a different type of officer.
Dressed in boots, blue jeans, a button-up and sometimes a cowboy hat, RCMP Cpl. Cory Lepine of the Provincial Livestock Section doesnB次元官网网址檛 stand out quite like Mounties in their protective vests and uniforms.
Lepine, dubbed a B次元官网网址渃owboy copB次元官网网址� by some, is among the last of his kind, serving as a necessary bridge between the law and those who make a living off the land. In fact, such criminal oversight is so important to those within the livestock industry that when the role became vacant in 2015, it was their pleas that revitalized the role.
He is B.C.B次元官网网址檚 only cowboy cop
When the RCMP was first established in the late 1800s, every police officer was a B次元官网网址榗owboy cop.B次元官网网址� Livestock, introduced in the province because of the gold rush, was among the largest commodities in the country.
More commonly known as livestock investigators, cow cops combat complicated crimes and issues pertaining to the livestock industry; from stolen or poached cattle to roadkill, land disputes, fraud investigations, and even dogs chasing a neighbourB次元官网网址檚 cattle.
At one time, there were five livestock members in the province B次元官网网址� a sergeant, a corporal, and three constables B次元官网网址� spread throughout the southern half of the province.
From 1900 to 1970, 90 per cent of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 cattle herd was located from Williams Lake south to the U.S. border. Today, this has flipped, putting the majority of cattle ranches north of Williams Lake and into the Caribou.
Price of land is largely responsible for the shift.
Nevertheless, thereB次元官网网址檚 still a need for enforcement in southern B.C. In the Okanagan, there are several large cattle operations; Douglas Lake Cattle Company, Coldstream Ranch, plus several others in the Kamloops area. In the Kootenays, near Cranbrook, are several large operations as well.
Today, there are just three cow cops in Canada B次元官网网址� Lepine in B.C., and two in Alberta.
Story continues below.
Industry pleas for a cow cop
When B.C.B次元官网网址檚 previous livestock officer, Cpl. Ralph Overby, left in 2015, the position sat vacant for almost three years. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 until cattle ranchers lobbied the provincial government and the RCMP, that the position was brought back.
While a general duty RCMP officer may view a calf killed by a vehicle as roadkill, Lepine sees it as property damage, B次元官网网址渏ust like someone driving through the front door of your house. ThereB次元官网网址檚 got to be consequences.B次元官网网址�
Based in Kamloops, Lepine liaises between the livestock industry and the RCMP. Daily, he works closely with the BC CattlemanB次元官网网址檚 Association and Ownership Identification Inc.
Some days, Lepine joins property owners in fencing their property to keep free-roam cattle out. Other days, heB次元官网网址檚 a mediator in land disputes. Sometimes, heB次元官网网址檚 a voice of wisdom for other RCMP members during emergency situations such as a cattle liner crash. He also looks after B.C.B次元官网网址檚 horse industry, of which there are over 25,000 registered members.
Without a cowboy cop, livestock or ranch owners faced with an issue have limited options for action. Most of the time, they either call one of 36 brand inspectors with Ownership Identification Inc. (OII) or the BC CattlemanB次元官网网址檚 Association B次元官网网址� neither of which has the power to enforce on a criminal level.
OII is B.C.B次元官网网址檚 brand registration and inspection program, which protect livestock owners against the loss of animals by theft, straying or misappropriation.
B次元官网网址淐onsequently, (they) call the local (RCMP) detachment, and unfortunately, the answer theyB次元官网网址檙e receiving is, we donB次元官网网址檛 know anything about livestock. As a residentB次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 buy that as an answer. But thatB次元官网网址檚 where CoryB次元官网网址檚 role comes in,B次元官网网址� said Bob Miller, general manager of OII.
Lepine tackles an annual average of 150 cases, not including those heB次元官网网址檚 called out to that are either non-issues or resolved easily. He estimates there are between 200 to 300 situations a year that he never hears about.
B次元官网网址淧eople are shocked that thereB次元官网网址檚 [still] cattle theft, and I always tell them B次元官网网址� cattle are a commodity. BeefB次元官网网址檚 a commodity. ItB次元官网网址檚 no different than televisions or radios. If thereB次元官网网址檚 a market to resell it, theyB次元官网网址檙e going to do it,B次元官网网址� said Lepine.
With beef priced at about $8/lb, a cow can easily be worth $2,000.
Story continues below.
A diverse history with the RCMP
Prior to his reinstatement as B.C.B次元官网网址檚 livestock investigator in 2017, Lepine worked 15 years in uniform as a frontline officer, including four years as a watch commander in West Kelowna. He also spent many of these years working in downtown Kelowna.
B次元官网网址淚 was kind of burnt out, I was kind of done with policing B次元官网网址� people call you for help and they criticize what you do when you get there B次元官网网址� which beats on you.B次元官网网址�
In April 2019, Lepine was tasked with a difficult case. Two people B次元官网网址� apparently a man and a woman B次元官网网址� were recorded trespassing on the Eagle Acres Dairy farm in Langley, where they killed a five-day-old calf with a crossbow. After stabbing it multiple times, they dragged it out of the barn, put the animal in the trunk of their car and left.
After extensive research, Lepine hypothesized the killing may have been motivated by the use of ancient Asian medicine. Identification of the individuals was not possible, and the case remains outstanding.
Numerous times, Lepine has also spearheaded investigations into animals in Fort St. John being killed, and their genitalia harvested.
The future of cow cops
Lepine was raised in a city, but after growing up in Kelowna, he fell in love with ranch life. He now owns a ranch and cattle of his own, and wishes more youth of today had the opportunity to spend time on a farm.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes itB次元官网网址檚 good to connect with your roots. And by that I mean, people always look down on these small towns, but lifeB次元官网网址檚 pretty simple B次元官网网址� Slow down and enjoy (getting) back to your roots a little bit. It saved my career in the RCMP.B次元官网网址�
Story continues below.
Lepine doesnB次元官网网址檛 see his department growing in the future, with with the increasing popularity of plant-based meals, the long-term future of the livestock industry is uncertain.
Ideally, heB次元官网网址檇 like one more colleague alongside him. Tasked with covering the entire province, there are areas he rarely goes to, such as Vancouver Island, despite the significant number of dairy and beef farms on the coast.
LepineB次元官网网址檚 role as a livestock investigator is funded by the RCMP; however, this isnB次元官网网址檛 the case everywhere. In Alberta, the industry funds a portion.
A proposal by the OII and BC CattlemanB次元官网网址檚 Association to the BC RCMP to introduce this method of funding fell on deaf ears, according to Miller.
Despite these challenges, Miller stressed theyB次元官网网址檙e fortunate to have their cow cop. And theyB次元官网网址檒l need him, B次元官网网址渁s long as thereB次元官网网址檚 livestock in the province.B次元官网网址�
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com
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