亚洲天堂 Lake has now been appointed a new staff sergeant for the local RCMP detachment.

St. Sgt. Grant MacDonald will pick up the reins after outgoing St. Sgt. Mike Kisters was transferred to Prince George earlier this year, and is set to arrive in 亚洲天堂 Lake in early August with his wife and two children.

It is a promotional opportunity as he will be promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant once he arrives.

He said to Lakes District 亚洲天堂 that he has previously driven through 亚洲天堂 Lake and the Lakes District and is excited about the opportunity to further explore the area and take advantage of what it has to offer.

St. Sgt MacDonald, 48,  is a 20 year member of the RCMP and has previously been posted to Luduc, Alberta, Fort Simpson in the North West Territories, Quikiqtarjuaq, Broughton Island, Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Whitehorse, Yukon and most recently Masset, Haida Gwaii where he is currently the detachment commander.

In an introductory letter to mayor and council, St. Sgt. MacDonald wrote that he is looking forward to working with councillors to deal with public safety issues that affect the community. He also said that two of his priorities include engaging the community in crime prevention and maintaining open and honest communication with the community.

He later said to Lakes District 亚洲天堂, "I am a strong proponent of crime prevention and public education pertaining to public safety. Upon my arrival I will take an inventory of the programs, such as Citizens on Patrol, auxiliary constable, Mothers Against Drunk Driving or Preventing Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth, that presently exist in 亚洲天堂 Lake and I will look for partnership opportunities to support prevention and education in the community," he said.

He also currently works to provide a quarterly policing report to the public, as well as a Cops Corner in elementary schools which provides safety messages to youth, and will be continuing on with this in 亚洲天堂 Lake.

He has received a number of awards including, Volunteer of the Year in Broughton Island, Volunteer of the Year in Whitehorse, the Queens Golden Jubilee Award for his dedication and commitment to Nunavut youth, an RCMP Commissioners Award for continual contributions to communities served in the eastern Arctic and last month he was chosen to receive the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire Police Community Relations Award.

In his letter to council he outlined his volunteering efforts stating that in past communities he had participated in community beautification projects, coaching sports and minor hockey as well as co-developing the Quikiqtarjuaq Wolf Cub Pack for Inuit youth.

St. Sgt. MacDonald said he has dedicated many hours of volunteer service to youth in all the communities he has worked in and that it is something he is proud of and plans to continue on with in 亚洲天堂 Lake.

"I am excited about the opportunities living in 亚洲天堂 Lake will provide in terms of volunteering. I will be examining whether or not there is a special olympics program in 亚洲天堂 Lake. I have been involved with special olympics since 1992 in various capacities and would like to continue. I also referee soccer and volunteer at the soup kitchen and food bank in Massett," he said.