Jan Pieter Loos

Divisions Served: “E,” “D”

Medals & Honours: Long Service Medal

Pillar Location: This Nameplate has not yet been mounted onto the Pillars, but is on display in the Centre in the interim.

Story: 

I grew up in Sioux Lookout, Ontario.  It is a small town on the Canadian National rail line. We had the Ontario Provincial Police as well as a municipal police department.  RCMP members were seldom seen.  Occasionally they travelled by rail to their postings.  They did this wearing their Red Serge.  In June of 1961, I remember seeing a tall Mountie stepping off the train.  I ran up to him and asked if I could have my picture taken.  He gladly obliged.  I had a brief conversation with him.  That moment really was an influence in my applying for the RCMP.  I always kept that picture.  Fast forward to May 2020.  I decided to post that old photo on the RCMP Mates Facebook page to see if anyone could identify the unknown Mountie.  To my surprise, I had a reply in one day.  The member was Cst. Michael Laurie, Reg. 19956.  He joined the force in 1958.  We were 7300 regimental numbers apart.  He even recalled that stop and the photo op as he was heading to a northern posting.  Hard to believe I became a member seven years after meeting Cst. Laurie.

I was sworn in at ‘D’ Division Headquarters in Winnipeg.  Going to Depot in Regina, what I thought was a big city, was an incredible experience.  I never regretted one minute.  I was blessed to meet my wife during training.  After graduating, I was posted as a second man to Field, B.C.  Ironically the NCO in charge had no idea he was even getting a second man.  I recall having special dispensation to enter the bars as I was only 20 years old and the drinking age was 21.  I even recall handing out welfare chits to transients.

After Field, I had a variety of postings.  I had a stint working undercover drugs in Kamloops.  That was followed by postings to Chase, Burnaby, The Pas, Winnipeg, and Prince George, back to Burnaby, E Div HQ and Vancouver International Airport.  My duties varied from General Duties, Traffic, Forensic Identification and CPIC Field Operations.  I chose to retire young in order to take advantage of a second career doing criminal insurance fraud investigations.  The training and experience I had with the RCMP served me very well. Not bad for a kid graduated out of high school.