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Quesnel Staff Sergeant moves to Williams Lake

Richard Weseen will take over after Darren Dodge left to become acting inspector in the lakecity
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Darren Dodge has been hired to be Williams Lake RCMP’s new officer in charge. He takes on the the role Monday, Dec. 13. (Photo submitted)

Quesnel has a new RCMP Staff Sergeant.

Richard Weseen has taken over the job, after Darren Dodge has moved to Williams Lake to become the acting inspector for the detachment there.

“I was asked if there was any job in the North District that became available which one would I like and I said I’d be interested in Williams Lake and sure enough, it came open,” Dodge said.

Dodge will assume the new role on Monday, Dec. 13 and is no stranger to the Cariboo-Chilcotin.

He worked at the RCMP North District Major Crime Unit based out of Prince George for six years, mostly investigating homicides, and was the acting NCO for the Cariboo-Chilcotin on several occasions.

The main challenges he sees in the Williams Lake area are the opioid crisis and mental health issues.

“It seems like every detachment that I am aware of has those issues and they seem to go hand in hand,” he said

READ MORE: Record number of toxic drug deaths in B.C. Interior this year: coroners service

Dodge anticipates continuing the work already started at the Williams Lake RCMP detachment with the targetting of prolific offenders.

“We are always going to have our eyes out for those people who victimize the less fortunate and the most vulnerable people at all times. They will be the top of our priority,” he said.

Dodge has visited the Williams Lake detachment two times this week ahead of the transfer and praised the local staff.

“Williams Lake has a great reputation as a great detachment,” he said.

Originally from Saskatoon, Sask., Dodge joined the RCMP in his early 30s.

He worked as a frontline officer in Saskatchewan and Northern B.C. before moving to Prince George.

In 2014 he transferred to Quesnel to be the operations support sergeant, looking after civilian employees and the general investigation section.

READ MORE: Quesnel RCMP Staff Sergeant praises work of mental health crisis team



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Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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