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Smithers RCMP detachment commander promoted to Terrace

Staff Sgt. Terry Gillespie joins Terrace detachment in early 2022 and thereafter becomes inspector
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Staff Sgt. Terry Gillespie on Aug. 5, 2020. Gillespie will take over as the Terrace RCMP detachment’s officer in charge in early 2022. (Black Press Media file photo)

Smithers will be losing its RCMP detachment commander come the new year.

After a nationwide search, Staff Sergeant Terry Gillespie has been named the new officer in charge for the Terrace RCMP detachment starting early in 2022.

Gillespie is in the process of becoming a commissioned officer, which could take up to nine months. After that is completed he will be promoted to the rank of inspector.

“We’re excited about the new opportunity, but we are really quite sad to be leaving Smithers; it’s really been an amazing community,” he said.

READ MORE: RCMP announce new Smithers detachment commander

The RCMP is currently looking for staff sergeants who are interested in a lateral transfer to Smithers. Barring that, a promotion process will be initiated, Gillespie said. In either case, the Town of Smithers will have a community participation role in the process and will have an opportunity to interview candidates to ensure a good fit for Smithers.

In the interim, Sgt. Kevin Christensen will assume the role of acting detachment commander.

Gillespie is no stranger to northwest B.C. He has been the detachment commander in Smithers since August 2019 and formerly held the rank of sergeant at the Queen Charlotte detachment on Haida Gwaii for three years. Prior to that as a corporal in Burns Lake, he also served as the acting detachment commander there.

READ MORE: Kevin Christensen promoted to sergeant, will remain in Smithers another 3-4 years

“I am very excited to be joining the team at the Terrace detachment,” Gillespie said in a media release.

“All of my RCMP service has been in uniform policing, and I am delighted to remain in a uniform role. I have been very fortunate to have been posted to detachments throughout my career with great Indigenous communities and am looking forward to continuing to build relationships in Terrace.”

Gillespie will be taking over from Staff Sgt. Mike Robinson, who was heading the Terrace detachment on an interim basis following the departure of Inspector Jayson Lucash in July.

In a City of Terrace media release, Mayor Carol Leclerc thanked Robinson for leading the detachment since the summer and said Gillespie will be a “great fit” in Terrace.

“He has shown commitment to the north and we are happy he is taking the next step in his career here in Terrace, where new opportunities and challenges in a larger detachment await,” she said.

“Strengthening public safety is a high priority for the City as well as our community and we are eager to continue to work with Terry on this.”

READ MORE: Former Terrace RCMP inspector now in Maple Ridge