The Surrey RCMP will be holding an open-house alongside the iconic Musical Ride in Cloverdale.
Sgt. Stuart Gray, an officer with the emergency and operational planning unit, said Surrey Mounties are excited to be hosting their open house at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds June 24 and 25.
“It’s an opportunity for the public and the police to interact, to get together, to have a conversation,” Gray explained. “We bring out all equipment that we use and we have members from different units, along with our partner agencies as well.”
Gray said the Surrey RCMP holds an open house every year—usually in May to coincide with police week—but with the Musical Ride coming to Cloverdale, they thought it was the perfect opportunity to hold it in conjunction with the world-famous show. The Ride is visiting Cloverdale as part of the at the Ride’s 150th RCMP anniversary tour.
“Because we had the Ride coming a few weeks later in June, we decided to combine the two,” Gray said. “Normally, we hold it at our detachment, but we’re going to hold it at the Stetson Bowl.”
Gray said RCMP open houses are quite popular and are very well-attended each year. He expects there to be even more people at the Stetson than they had at the detachment last year.
“It will only add to the excitement and the popularity.”
He explained that while the Ride will take place in the Stetson corral, the Mounties will have their open-house tents set up all around the outside of the Stetson’s performance surface.
Gray noted members from roughly 20 units will be at the open house, including: members from the emergency response team, Surrey gang task force, traffic unit—both the enforcement and reconstruction teams, youth and school resource team, community engagement team, the Surrey RCMP’s federal policing partner units (such as ship riders and the clandestine lab unit), along with the drone unit, and many others.
He also said the K-9 unit will be on hand, also a favourite with attendees, especially kids.
“We put on demonstrations with our dog handlers and other police officers so people can see what the dogs can do,” added Gray.
He said people will get a chance to jump into a cruiser and have a look at some of the other equipment the Mounties use.
Gray said while open houses have proven quite popular with the general public, they are also popular with those contemplating a career serving in the RCMP.
Gray explained that for him, having conversations with serving members was one of the reasons he was steered towards joining the force.
More importantly he said open houses offer perfect opportunities for people who may have hesitation with police, or may not have grown up in a household that looks favourably on the police force, to have open dialogue.
“It gives them an opportunity to meet a police officer and to have those conversations.”
He said the point is to have a two-way chat, not for it to be a one-way conversation where an officer feeds information.
“Certainly we all see things through different lenses, and we all come from a different background, but (the open house) might be an opportunity for people, and for us, to have conversations that we both may need to have. We want to hear what the public has to say.”
He said there’ll be enough officers on hand to chat with the public in an informal setting and without the usual barriers one encounters.
“That’s why we do this. To have conversations,” Gray added. “Sometimes it can be hard to walk up to an officer on the street and initiate a conversation. But this way, you’re invited into our house. It’s a ‘C’mon in and make yourself at home,’ type of thing.”
He said the Mounties are looking forward to welcoming people to again. And with both the Stetson and Musical Ride as a backdrop, many are looking forward to both.
“The Ride is iconic and recognized worldwide,” he said. “But perhaps most importantly, over the weekend, all the money raised through ticket sales goes to support three local charities.”
Those charities are: the Surrey Hospital Foundation, the Surrey Food Bank, and the Cloverdale Community Kitchen.
“When you buy a ticket for the musical ride, you’re supporting those organizations,” Gray added.
Personally, Gray said he’s also looking forward to seeing the Musical Ride again. He’s seen it three times, but not in B.C.
“It never ceases to amaze me,” he noted. “Even though I’ve seen it before, I’m amazed every time. The choreography is incredible. The passion of the riders is incredible. And they do an amazing job.”
Those iconic mounted police will parade in the Stetson for three shows, two on June 24 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. and one on June 25 at 3 p.m.
Tickets for the Musical Ride are available now online at showpass.com/rcmp-musical-ride-cloverdale/. Tickets are $10 (plus taxes) up to the day of the show when tickets go up to $12 (plus taxes). Tickets will be $15 at the gate. Children 12 & under get in free, but organizers ask that parents reserve those tickets online.
The Surrey RCMP’s open house will be held in the Stetson from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 24 and from noon to 4 p.m. on June 25.m.
The Stetson Bowl is located on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds at 6050 176th Street.
For more info on the Ride or the open house, visit bc-cb.rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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