Salmon Arm RCMP wish Staff Sergeant West a happy retirement

After serving 31 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Staff Sergeant Scott West is retiring.

S/Sgt West left his home in Nova Scotia, and made his way to Depot in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1993. After graduating Depot, S/Sgt West was assigned his first post as a constable in Kelowna, BC. He honed his police skills and abilities there until 2006.

S/Sgt West continued his career transferring to Nakusp, then promoting to corporal in Kamloops. After a few years there, he earned another promotion as Sergeant in Dawson Creek. From there, he transferred to Sicamous. His final move was another promotion from Sicamous, to be the Staff Sergeant in Salmon Arm beginning in 2015.

A couple of S/Sgt West’s most memorable files with the RCMP include chasing cattle that had escaped from a farm near downtown Kelowna. While another memorable one, that he is extremely proud of, was finding a lost child at night when temperatures dropped to minus 15 degrees Celsius with high winds, and being able to return that child to her parents safely.

Variety. Variety in job descriptions, work locations, the outstanding people I have gotten to work with everyday, and the great people in the communities I have served throughout my career. I would have probably been bored in any other job out there without the change that I have experienced over the years, said Salmon Arm S/Sgt Scott West when asked what his favourite thing about working for the RCMP was.

In retirement he plans to spend more time with his spouse, supporting her just as she has done for him throughout his career adventures. He also plans to spend time on his next car project in his garage, and enjoying the great outdoors that BC has to offer.

I have found myself looking back on a career in the RCMP that I have truly enjoyed and found challenging. I wish our local RCMP team and my successor well as they work to move the Detachment forward into 2025. Remember that through it all, be kind, understanding of others point of view, and support one another, because life can be cruel and a little understanding and support can go a long way, said Salmon Arm S/Sergeant Scott West.

Thank you Scott! The Salmon Arm detachment members and civilian staff wish you a well deserved long, and happy retirement.

His last day in uniform will be September 3, 2024.

Picture: S/Sgt Scott West in front of the Salmon Arm RCMP detachment.