BARRHEAD-Two Barrhead area employers may have to find replacements in the coming months.
At least they will if RCMP Eastern District Supt. Shane Ramteemal and Barrhead Detachment Commander Sgt. Bob Dodds have anything to do with it, Nolan Tuininga and Quinn Meunier will be joining the ranks of the RCMP.
Ramteemal joined Dodds to present the pair with the District Commander's Certificate of Appreciation during a brief Oct. 1 ceremony outside the detachment in their efforts in helping Barrhead RCMP Const. Shad Martyn apprehend a male suspect.
On Sept. 11, Martyn responded to a complaint about a violent altercation of two individuals involving a knife about 12 miles southwest of Barrhead.
However, when Martyn arrived, he found a "clearly agitated individual".
A physical altercation then ensued, and although Martyn had the situation under control, Dodds said, it was tenuous.
It was at about this time when Tuininga and Meunier happened to be passing by in their pickup.
"We were outside in our yard (Meunier and Tuininga are roommates), so we got in our truck to check it out," Tuininga said "He was running up and down the road wildly, which was very concerning as there are a lot of families nearby."
It was about this time, that Martyn arrived.
At first, they drove by, as they believed Martyn had everything under control, but they decided to turn around to make sure.
"(Martyn) had him on the ground but it looked like he was struggling to keep him controlled, so we asked him if he needed a hand," Tuininga said.
"He said yes. So we got out of the truck and helped him get him into the car," Meunier continued.
It turns out the individual did not have a knife, but Dodds noted neither the officer nor did Meunier and Tuininga know what they were walking into when they offered their assistance.
"When the police get in an altercation like that, it is our job. We are being paid to do it, but sometimes we might be struggling or overmatched and when people like these young men step in to help ... it just means so much to us," Dodds said. "A lot of people, if they were to drive by, and you see this all the time, might have just taken out their cell phone and start filming it. That is so counterproductive. All that does is escalate the situation. For the member, it potentially could have meant his life. We need all the help we can get, and these guys stepped up. It takes a lot of courage to do what they did."
Ramteemal agreed, saying Meunier and Tuininga, who are both 22 years old, "willingly put themselves in a potentially dangerous and certainly volatile situation."
"What they did is commendable ... these guys need to apply to the RCMP and be hired," he said.
Dodds echoed the sentiment, saying that if Tuininga or Meunier ever decided to apply for the RCMP or another police force, he would do everything he could to help them.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
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