RCMP: Picture Down Memory Lane

Many members can recall their personal experiences in being involved in a police motor vehicle accident or having their police vehicle damaged.

The subsequent submission of accident forms, statements, photographs and the independent investigation that came thereafter.  If the member was found responsible for the damage or was deemed at fault then the member paid for the damage through the Force’s payroll deduction program – in addition to possibly being charged-fined in Service Court or charged under the provincial motor vehicle accident.  Consequently, members endeavoured to avoid getting into an accident at all costs.

Ric Hall has sent us the following details and photographs to rekindle your experience in a similar situation.

Corporal John Hubert “Dodger” Clark, DFC, Regimental # 14674, points out what appears to be some damage to the door of a police car to Constable Roderick Douglas McLean while they were posted at Jasper Detachment.   

Photograph of Constable McLean and Corporal John Clark (Reg.#14674) examining the damage to an RCMP police car. (Source of photo – Veterans Ian Parsons and Rod McLean)

Remember those dreaded Forms A-110 that had to be submitted when damage occurred to a police car?   Supervisors and members alike would go to great lengths to avoid submitting them for fear of getting the dreaded classification of – member totally at fault or member partially responsible for the damage and to be assessed some of the cost for repair.

1970 Photograph of RCMP members marching in North Vancouver (Source of photo – Veterans Dan Lemieux and Rick Winslow).

Dodger Clark served in the World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.  On April 3, 1946, he joined the Force and served in “K”, “A” “HQ”, Overseas Visa Control and eventually retired to “K” Division to retire on September 23, 1965.  He passed away in 1977.