George Parchomchuk

Divisions Served: “F”

Medals & Honours: Life Saving Award, Most Vulnerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, Long Service Medal

Pillar Location: Pillar XI, Row 12, Column E

Story: 

The following recollections come from my long and short-term memory bank. My career started with my swearing in ceremony at Kamloops, British Columbia, on March 4^th, 1957. It was a cold March day. We came from all provinces of Canada in all shapes, sizes, ages, with different education, work, life experiences and some just out of high school. We were seeking our fortune and fame in U-Troop 1957. There wasn’t too much fortune to be accumulated at $228.00 per month, less room, board and taxes! Ours was the last U-Troop. Since 1957 the training syllabus and training in general has changed dramatically. In 1957 training was an experience to have experienced! In retrospect, I can say it was a great experience.

Within a day or two of our arrival we were issued with bedding sheets, pillows, coveralls, fatigues and other articles of clothing from QM stores. We stayed in C block for several weeks in 6 man rooms and then we moved to “F” block, a World War 2 barrack structure

The following is a brief chronological recap of my service in the R.C.M.P.

•  March 1957-Dec. 1957. Recruit training at “Depot” Division. Troop mate Ron Smith and I drove to Swift Current, Saskatchewan and were met by two Patrol Sergeants. We snapped to attention and saluted, a carry-over from Depot Division, where we saluted “everything” that moved.
• Dec. 1957- Mar.-58. General duties at Swift Current Rural Detachment
• Mar.-58 – May-58. General duties at Leader Municipal and Rural Detachments.
• June-58 – June-59. Swift Current Rural Detachment. By this time I am getting as accustomed as one ever gets to serious auto accidents, sudden deaths, suicides, break, enter and thefts etc.
• July-59-Nov.-Nov.-62: Maple Creek Rural and Municipal Detachments. During this period of time I had short postings as 2nd In Command Leader and Cypress Hills Detachments. Ft. Walsh was also in the Maple Creek Detachment area being used as a breeding station for future RCMP colts. Ex. Commissioner S.T. Wood and family spent their summers at the Fort and we visited whenever we could. Had my first labour strike experience during the filming of “The Canadians” at Fort Walsh and area. Two of the stars I recall were Robert Ryan and Teresa Stratas.  Another first experience was a massive prairie fire that burned eight to ten thousand acres before it was brought under control by farmers, ranchers and concerned citizens. I now had some idea how helpless the early pioneers must have felt trying to combat these fires. I had my first involvement in a murder investigation at Piapot, Sask., in the Maple Creek Detachment area. I did not know at the time that it would be one of over twenty-four that I would be involved in during my service. At this time there was no such thing as paid overtime. Overtime was just part of the job.

• 6-May-61: I took time out from a busy schedule to get married to Mary Ellen Anderson at Chaplin, Sask., (still happily married in 2020). I recall I had to get permission to get married and have $1200.00 in assets or cash in the bank in compliance with Commissioner’s Standing Order No.1316 (b). Your bride to be was “checked out” as were her parents!
• 15-Nov-62: In Charge Swift Current S/Div. General Investigations Section (GIS). The S/Div. had less than 100 members. During my travels I got to know the members, their wives, girl friends, children and pets! This was the era of “safe crackers and blowers”. Most villages and towns had grain elevators as well as small Credit Unions. Most all of these carried large sums of cash in their safes to pay grain cheques etc. There were many hours of “voluntary” over-time spent on “burglary and safe-blowing patrols in general.” You could claim .75 cents for midnight lunch, $1.25 for lunch and $2.25 for dinner!
• 02-Mar-66: Our first son, Ronald George was born in Swift Current. Two days before he was born, myself and a dozen members in varying shifts were involved in a stake-out of an area involving a very large stolen coin collection. We were secreted in police vehicles and a small trailer covered in straw bales. During the earlier stages of this investigation another member and I rode horseback south of #1 Hwy., from west of Maple Creek to Walsh, Alberta, in the month of February! I was so saddle sore that I walked, leading my horse back to the rancher from whom we had borrowed it. It was not as nice an outing as we had experienced back in our training days on a ride from the Depot stables to the Qu’Appelle Valley.
• Apr-Sept 1966: Seconded for a week to Regina to work in the Conspiracy Co-coordinating office on a major fraud investigation. The week turned into six months! I traveled extensively around the province during that time and came back to Swift Current on week-ends to catch up on office work etc., and back to Regina Sunday evening or early Monday mornings.

• Sep-’66 to Jul-68. Transferred to Regina to work in Conspiracy Co-coordinating office, Tech Aids, Regina GIS. We worked out of C Block at “Depot” Division, traveling extensively in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
• May-1967: Promoted to Corporal. These were the days when you were expected to buy refreshments on your promotion. Work was very challenging and interesting.
• August 1967. Our second son, Gregg Michael, was born in Regina.
• July 68-July 71. Transferred to 2nd In Charge Prince Albert Sub Division GIS where I assisted Detachments with major crimes and investigations at the Prince Albert Penitentiary. I arrived on a weekend and was in the process of unpacking when I was called out to a murder in a small village. Upon arrival, the scene reminded me (and still does) of the movies “High Noon” and “Shoot Out at the OK Corral” The accused husband walked down the main street with a rifle, shot his wife and her lover! Another first experience was investigating forest fires deliberately set to create employment.
• July-71 to April -73. NCO In Charge of Yorkton Sub Division GIS. – Oct, 1971 promoted to Sergeant.
• April 73 to July 75: NCO In Charge Prince Albert Sub Division GIS. When I asked the CO of “F” Division for the reason of my transfer, I was given no reason other than “It would enhance” my career and it would be in my best interest to take this move!
•  Nov.1974. Declined my commission in the Force, basing my decision on well thought out reasons, some of which were later accepted by the Force in policy. At the time, I thought my career in the Force would grind to a halt. Fortunately, it did not.

Several traumatic incidents still stand out in my mind today which occurred during my service in Prince Albert Subdivision, including: The mass, axe murder of a family of seven at Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan and the shooting-murder of two members, Sergeant Bob Schrader and Constable Doug Anson in the McDowall district of the province. I knew both members very well and had worked with both. I also had an investigative trip to Port Hardy, BC. and the British Columbia Penitentiary to interview Clifford Olson’s girlfriend and Olson himself before he became notorious for the mass murders of young people.

Had one of my near-death experiences while on Prince Albert GIS. Escapees from Washington State prison abducted a Prince Albert City Policeman. The helicopter that I and another member had hired to follow their vehicle was shot down with a high powered rifle by one of the escapees. This was near the Borden Bridge, west of Saskatoon, Sask. The bullet grazed the fuel line, entered the cockpit and lodged in the ceiling, inches from my head. You will not be surprised to learn that the first thing the two of us did upon landing safely was to have a nervous pee!! There were NO trauma counselors in those days!

• Aug.75 to Aug.85. NCO In Charge of Yorkton Municipal Detachment. Employees were coming and going on a frequent basis. One of the first female recruits arrived. I for one was of the belief and opinion that the hiring of female recruits was long over due. There was never a dull moment with policing a small city of 16,000 people. Outside of my school years this was the longest period of time I had spent in one place. Ellen and the boys, as well as myself, had to adjust to me being home for most of the three meals a day. Yorkton was a great place to raise a family. The work, although mostly administrative and people management, it was not without operational issues that kept you on your toes!
• Oct.’75. Promoted to S/Sgt. During my 28 and one-half years in the Force I attended fourteen courses on a variety of topics in “F” and “K” Division, as well as Ottawa.

• Aug.1985. By this time our oldest son, Ron, was attending University in Saskatoon. Gregg had completed Grade 12 and was on his way to University in Saskatoon. An opportunity came to move to Saskatoon as an Investigator with Saskatchewan Government Insurance. I attended some interesting courses in BC and Ontario. There was some travelling but most often, only day trips. In some ways the work reminded me of GIS duties years ago.

•  Sept. 1996. Mary Ellen and I decided that after 40 plus years of general policing, GIS, administrative and special investigation work with Saskatchewan Government. Insurance (SGI), it was time for a change. I retired. Life is good.