New Tradition Established: Burnaby Detachment

On June 3, 2016, Burnaby Detachment commenced a new tradition to honour their retiring Detachment Commander – C/Supt. Dave Critchley.  According to S/S/Major John Buis, “this new honouring tradition is regularly used by many Fire Department.”

On this date, Chief Superintendent Dave Critchley departed the Detachment to commence his retirement having completing 35 years of dedicated service in the RCMP and as the Burnaby Detachment Commander for the past five years.

Chief Superintendent (C/Supt.) Dave Critchley was appointed as the Officer in Charge of the Burnaby RCMP Detachment on June 8, 2011.

C/Supt. Critchley joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in January of 1982. His career spans 33 years, and has taken him across Canada and abroad in various policing capacities. He has extensive policing experience at the Municipal, Provincial, Federal and International levels, and he has represented the RCMP at the international level on both complex criminal investigations and major events. He holds his Masters Certificate in Project Management and his Master of Arts in Human Security and Peace Building from Royal Roads University. C/Supt. Critchley also received his Programme Diploma in Canadian Security Studies from the Canadian Forces College.

C/Supt Critchley began his career with General Duty policing in rural Alberta. Commencing in 1992, he built on his uniform policing experience and went on to specialize in project work. He was transferred into various plainclothes units and commanded joint forces operations investigating major criminal offences, such as international drug trafficking and homicides. In 2001, he was tasked with being a key member of the RCMP leadership team responsible for planning and delivering the security for the 2002 G8 Summit at Kananaskis, Alberta. Upon completion of the G8 Summit, he returned to uniform policing and was a Detachment Commander in southern Alberta until his transfer to Ottawa.

In September of 2003, C/Supt Critchley was Commissioned to Inspector and posted to RCMP National Headquarters (NHQ) Ottawa. While at NHQ, he held various positions within Corporate Management & Comptrollership. These positions included being the Executive Director of the National Project Management Office responsible for the oversight on the major real property projects within the RCMP, as well as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of Corporate Management & Comptrollership.

In October of 2007, C/Supt Critchley was seconded to the Privy Council Office in Ottawa as the RCMP Federal Security Liaison for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, and the G8/20 Summits in Southern Ontario. In this position, he provided direct support and advice to the Coordinators for the 2010 Olympic and G8/20 Integrated Security Units.

From June of 2010 to June 2011, C/Supt Critchley was posted to Kabul, Afghanistan as the Canadian Police Commander. In this role, he was the senior Canadian police officer in Afghanistan, and provided Operational Command over the Canadian Police Contingent as they provided training and mentoring to the Afghan National Police.

The new Burnaby Detachment tradition commenced with photographs with Detachment personal and concluded with Dave Critchley being driven from the Detachment lead by a RCMP “E” Division Pipe & Drum Band member playing a lament.  With this departure, the street was lined on both sides with members of: the Burnaby Fire Department, Burnaby RCMP Detachment and Vancouver Division of the RCMP Veterans’ Association.  Most of the RCMP Veterans had previously served at Burnaby Detachment.

Photograph of (left to right) S/S/Major John Buis, C/Supt. Dave Critchley and Supt. Stephan Drolet (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

Photograph of Burnaby Detachment personal who were photographed with the departing Detachment Commander – Dave Critchley (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

Send off for #Burnaby #RCMP Chief Critchley retiring after 35yrs pic.twitter.com/zGuyz0vFAZ

— Burnaby RCMP (@BurnabyRCMP) June 3, 2016

Photograph of RCMP Veteran Mert Rowden (past member of Burnaby Detachment) and an unknown Burnaby Detachment members waiting for the departing Detachment Commander to pass and give their salute (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

Photograph of C/Supt. Dave Critchley departing Burnaby Detachment and being paid the honour of all Detachment personal and RCMP Veterans saluting as he departed the Detachment (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

Clearly, Dave was recognized for his outstanding dedication to the Detachment staff and to the citizens of Burnaby.    His presence will be greatly missed by all.