Donna Anne Brownlee

Divisions Served: “E,” “O,” “NHQ,” “Depot”

Medals & Honours: 20 Year Long Service Medal

Pillar Location: Pillar X, Row 15, Column C

Story: 

I joined the RCMP from Quebec City, QC in August 1979. At the age of 15, I had determined that policing was my future career and so began investigating the possibilities. In the districts of Ste-Foy, Sillery, and Quebec, I visited the local police services to demonstrate my interest in joining their ranks when I reached recruiting age. All told me to come back when of age, dismissing my interest as youthful dreaming. Next, I made my way to the RCMP head office in Quebec City, an imposing brick building (weren’t they all) and boldly told the Commissionaire at the reception desk that I was interested in joining the RCMP. He asked me to patiently wait while he contacted someone to address my inquiry. A few minutes later, a suited man came to the reception area and guided me to the Recruiting office; he was the Corporal in charge of that Unit. After listening intently to my stated desire to become a police officer, he suggested I watch a video on Depot Division training, which he set up in an adjoining room. After watching the 30-minute video, he answered all of my questions and gave me the advice to get into and remain in good physical shape, keep my nose clean, obtain a driver’s license (I was 15 at the time), and as soon as I reached the age of 18, make an application. He assured me the RCMP would take my application seriously. This man represented an institution that took an interest in me, took the time to invest in the future of the organization, and understood the benefit of nurturing that interest, and ultimately, its’ mandate and objectives. That day, it was clear to me that I would do everything in my power to join the ranks of the RCMP.

I applied at age 18, was recruited at 19, and graduated from Depot Division at age 20.

My first posting was Chilliwack, BC where I met the people who would define what it meant to work as a team and have one another’s backs. My Sergeant, Frederick David Charles Ayres (Dave Ayres) was instrumental in forming my early understanding of leadership, mentorship, and service. My Corporal, Ian MacNairnay, was the voice of reason and humour on the road. Through my service, it has become evident that the impact we have on others often goes unnoticed – so here I state plainly, that these two men and all the men with whom I worked at Chilliwack Detachment, were the best of men, the best of colleagues and the best of friends I could have had at that young and impressionable age. I acknowledge their very important impact on my policing worldview, and how they honoured and respected me.

I want to acknowledge and pay tribute to my very fine trainer, Sheila Armstrong, who strong in character and soft-spoken, helped me understand the nuances of general duty policing, and supported me wholeheartedly through my recruit field training and beyond.

And I wish to underline the importance of the municipal employees, Nell, Laura, the jail matrons, and guards to name a few, who were the backbone of that detachment and frankly, fixed my mistakes before they bloomed into problems.

My career unfolded in what seemed a magical way. From Chilliwack Detachment to Vancouver Drug Section, RCMP Academy (Instructor) to O Division Staffing & Personnel, National HQ Media Relations, Burnaby, BC, and finally back to the RCMP Academy, my career advanced in a manner that challenged and satisfied me.

Though I’ve not felt that it defined me, I’ve recognized it provided me the opportunity to be of service, to work to my capacity and beyond it at times, the benefit of working with extraordinary people of character, resolve and integrity, and foremost, do something meaningful in my life that had me look beyond myself. Being of service has been the most impactful professional conduit for my abilities, and I’m grateful the RCMP joined me to its ranks.

Following my retirement in 2004, I was offered the unique opportunity to work with the Friends of the Mounted Police Heritage Centre and the Mounted Police Heritage Centre Board in establishing this iconic Heritage Centre that strives to educate Canadians and the visiting public on the role of the RCMP in Canada and the world – while celebrating the unique relationships the institution and its employees have with the communities it serves. In this capacity, I give special thanks to Steve Smedley, Sgt. (Rtd), who as Liaison for the RCMP, negotiated the numerous sensitive points that arose during the project.

To my colleagues through the years, thank you for the joy of plodding along with you, persevering when we needed to, laughing when it felt best, and for helping me learn the things I needed to in order to have enjoyed the career I did.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now.” -Goethe