We held our meeting off site today at the Red Deer RCMP Detachment. 

Phil Hyde introduced our speaker for today- Superintendent Holly Glassford, Detachment  Commander of the Red Deer RCMP. Holly introduced some key members of the detachment and shared that it  is staffed by 180 regular members and 100 municipal staff. The RCMP also serve as Red Deer’s municipal police force. It is currently the largest detachment in Alberta. 

In collaboration between the City of Red Deer and the Red Deer RCMP, the annual Policing Plan contains 3 priorities.

1. Enhance the response to community member's reporting of crimes to person or property or other concerns by providing timely update to the actions taken.
2. Increase police visibility and public safety on roads, trails, downtown, or within the community using a variety of resources such as e bikes, foot patrols, etc.
3. Continue communication with community agencies, organizations, and utilize opportunities for education of community regarding issues or situations.

Barry Oram, volunteer chaplain for the RCMP supports members wherever needed- at the office, on ride a-longs,or during casual interactions.  He calls it        “ loitering with intent”.

Corporal Terence Dumphy is one of 4 police dog handlers that serve the city and the surrounding areas.  Across Canada there are 160 dog teams, Alberta having 24 teams.  Their role is to be an additional support for general duty officers in the field.  The dog program is housed near Bowden where dogs are bred and assessed for the qualities needed to be successful.  Dogs are trained to track human scent, explosives, drugs, human remains, and for agility. Another role is criminal apprehension.  Terence explained that the dogs know what their role is by the collar and equipment they see being brought out when they are called out.  We watched a demonstration as he searched for a target smell and obeyed commands. 

Constable Eric Goulet is one of the pilots in the drone programs.  Drones can used as to locate missing persons, property surveillance, or to monitor a situation.  The use of thermal imaging  cameras also support the patrol led program.   The 2^nd program that will be operational in 4-6 weeks is the Drone as a 1^st responder.  A drone will be able to be launched from either the north or south detachment and will support emergency services in Red Deer.    An example of their use is to quickly locate a resident that has wandered away from their care facility.  They can also be used as proactive patrols. These drones have much of the same capabilities as tracking dogs and will be a game changer for policing.   Red Deer currently has 11 drone pilots.  The first responder program is the 1^st programs of its kind in Canada to be centered at an RCMP detachment.  While it is currently being staffed by RCMP members it is anticipated that the next step will be the inclusion of trained civilian pilots. 

We thank Superintendent Holly Glassford and her detachment for allowing us to gain further understanding about the detachments and the initiatives that they are leading to ensure safety in our community. We thank you for your service. 

Meeting Update

Membership News

Community & Project Updates

Rotary Branches Out

Thanks to all who have volunteered their services for the 6th annual tree planting event on June 6.   We are still in need of a couple more volunteers.  Please contact Dagmar if you are able to assist. Click here to sign up.

This is a great family event- please share with your friends and family to come along!  It is great to see so many Rotarians at these events. 

District Conference 2026

May 6, 2026 - SOCIAL at FoodUA Ukranian Restaurant, Red Deer Register HERE

June 3, 2026 - SOCIAL at Local Croffle House Restaurant, Red Deer Register HERE