Sundre's newest RCMP constable can attest to the old adage that there's no time like the present to pursue your dreams.
Val Dennis, 54, originally applied to the RCMP he was 19 years old. He was turned down at that time.
When Val's daughter, who is a serving RCMP constable stationed in Innisfail, suggested he try again in 2007, he did so, and much to his surprise, he made it on the force at age 49.
"I didn't actually expect to get in. I expected to be gonged somewhere along the way," he said.
His daughter Cindie Dennis said she suggested he apply after seeing the variety of age groups present during her own training.
"When I was in training there was lots of people of all ages," Cindie said.
Though she and her father spent the first few years of both of them being officers several hours apart, they recently came up for transfers at the same time.
"We both took places kind of close to each other," Cindie said.
Association with the RCMP is becoming a family affair as Cindie added her sister just recently became a dispatcher for the Red Deer RCMP.
As for her father's experience in training, Cindie recollected how tough it was for her when she was 19, let alone for him at 49.
"I can't imagine how hard it was for him," she said. "He did fairly well."
Val has been assigned to Sundre as a general duties investigator after completing his first five years in the RCMP at the Coronation detachment.
Originally from the Pincher Creek/Crowsnest Pass area of southern Alberta, Val was an electrician and a rancher before deciding to join the force five years ago.
Now with five years' policing experience under his belt, Val says he has found that working with troubled youth is one of the things he likes best about the job.
"I really enjoy working with the young people, trying to get them back on the right path," he said.
Building respect among young people is one of the best things police can do to make sure young people grow up to be law-abiding adults.
"I hope to continue to work with the youth of Sundre now that I'm here," he said.
The province's alternative measures program, which allows certain criminal cases to be taken out of the court system and dealt with at the community level, is a great tool when it comes to youth in trouble with the law, he said.
Before becoming an officer, Val had a lot of experience with youth, coaching basketball at the high school level for about 20 years and training young people as journeymen electricians.
Val says being stationed in Sundre is a good fit for him since he likes hunting, archery and horseback riding in his off-hours.
Although he said he would like to eventually be posted to the RCMP's livestock investigation unit, he says he is certainly looking forward to completing his five-year posting assignment here in Sundre.
"I think it's a great place. I like Sundre," he said.
