In reflecting on the human condition, Brian Nicholl says,”Everybody is entitled to a chance to change.”
The staff sergeant is the acting officer in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP Detachment, a role he has been in since June. He comes to the area from St. Paul and his family contacts over the years have included involvement in local hockey.
“Not everybody can change, not everybody does change. I’ve seen people change. Is it common? Not as common as we would like to see, but I think everybody deserves – I think I deserve a chance to be better. Sometimes we are just a product of our own environment. The reality is I think everybody deserves a chance.”
That being said, Nicholl adds in the new year they will be doing more work to deal with chronic offenders and people on outstanding warrants. In looking at the concerns expressed on that matter he says,”Everybody has their day in court.”
“Once somebody has served that punishment, whatever it is, they do deserve a right to show that they have paid their dues. Unfortunately, some people in that lifestyle find it very hard to get back out of that lifestyle. So the revolving door is there.”
Nicholl says a good thing about Lloydminster is that there are programs for people who want to be helped.
A big issue that citizens have raised with the police says Nicholl is speeding, especially in residential areas.
“They are talking about their safety when it comes to traffic and obviously people in and out of their neighbourhoods. I think we are definitely going to look at some projects around that.”
Overall community involvement, proactive policing and reactive policing will remain a focus of the local RCMP in the new year.
“Right now we are actually in a really good position, we are actually full in our detachment, so it is quite nice,” says the staff sergeant.
On behalf of the Lloydminster RCMP, Nicholl extended best wishes for the holidays and for everyone to have a safe season.