Respected B.C. Lawyer: Sends Tribute to RCMP Members

Our Vancouver Division President, Dick Hawkshaw, received a message based our webpage entitled “Canada Day – The Perspective of A Mountie.” 

The message was from a respected British Columbia Crown Counsel lawyer and the content of the message is as follows:

Nearly all of my legal career was as a prosecutor for the Attorney General of British Columbia. During the last 25 years or so, I had conduct of many major homicide cases. My work brought me into daily contact with R.C.M.P. officers of nearly every rank and experience, as well as forensic experts of the National Forensic Service.

Like everybody else, I have been saddened by some events that have recently beset the R.C.M.P. I am not surprized to hear how hard many people are taking it. When, on occasion, I have the opportunity to address groups of RCMP officers,  I have told them to hold their heads up high. There is so much to be proud of.

The success I enjoyed during my legal career was due in large measure to my association with “the Mounties”. I saw first-hand how hard they worked and was honoured to work with them.

I appreciated the high evidentiary standards they met, and that our criminal law demands. Their personal integrity was inspiring. Put simply, I can’t imagine any other country that wouldn’t be proud to have such an accomplished police force staffed by so many truly decent people.

Despite most people’s only experience with the RCMP being when they’ve been stopped for a traffic rule infraction, I believe most Canadians share my high opinion of the Force because I know, from years of speaking to juries, that thinking citizens have perspective. Let’s give Commissioner Bob Paulson our best wishes as he tries to weed out the few bad apples.

Derrill Prevett, Q.C.

Retired member of the law Society of British Columbia