The municipality's newest constable, who joined the local RCMP detachment's ranks this summer, considers himself fortunate to be serving the community.
"Sundre has a great team of officers keeping this town safe and fighting crime, and I count myself lucky to be here," Jared Hamilton recently told the Round Up by email.
Originally from the Fraser Valley region in B.C., Hamilton said he relocated to Calgary in his early 20s to pursue work in the oilpatch.
"Of course, there have been some challenging years for Alberta and the industry since, and I decided the time was right to pursue my dream of a career in public service," he recalled.
"My dad has served with the Calgary Fire Department since 1999, and I wanted to do something similar while forging my own path."
So he enlisted with the RCMP and graduated in July from the academy, also commonly know as depot, in Regina, Sask. Shortly after the successful completion of his training to become a police officer, the rookie constable was assigned that same month his first post in Sundre.
"I think what I've enjoyed the most ó and what's been most challenging ó are two sides of the same coin," he explained, adding the pace of police work even in a small municipality greatly exceeded his initial expectations.
"I didn't imagine a small, out-of-the-way town like Sundre would be so busy! In just three months, I've enjoyed a broad variety of experience, and had the opportunity to help a lot of folks."
Of course there is more to police work than providing, when needed, assistance to members of the public.
"The bad guys keep us on our toes. Some of those summer days were pretty challenging," he wrote, nevertheless expressing no regrets whatsoever.
"Without question, it's the best job in the world."
