RCMP Cpl. Paulo Arreaga, transferred from North Vancouver, has been living and working on Bowen Island for three weeks now, and with several visits to the pub under his belt, he’s started getting in to know the local community.
Cpl. Arreaga grew up in North Vancouver and his first posting with the RCMP was in North Vancouver. However, he says he asked for a posting in a remote community because he wanted to try something that was out of his comfort zone. By the time Arreaga’s wish was fulfilled (with a transfer to Boston Bar, north of Hope) he had already met his future wife (Lucia) in North Vancouver. He says that because of her, he returned to North Vancouver where he was promoted to Corporal in charge of the youth division.
Fortunately, Lucia shares her husbands taste for adventure so once married, Cpl. Arreaga asked for another transfer to a small community.
“In a small community, policing is all about being connected with people, sometimes that means you are connected with them at the hardest possible times, but I hope to connect with people before something happens,” says Arreaga. “That tends to make things a little easier when there’s an emergency.”
