Human nature can be a tough thing to comprehend at the best of times, but Joel Glen remembers when he thought policing would help him understand at least a little better why some people do the things they do.
He named domestic assaults as a prime example 鈥� surely being a officer would answer questions around such often-brutal incidents of violence?
But even after more than two decades of investigating those and other files, Glen said that simply hasn鈥檛 been the case.
鈥淚 thought being a cop, I鈥檇 get to understand human nature better, but this job鈥檚 made it way worse,鈥� he said last week, during an interview at the White Rock detachment.
鈥淓ven now, there鈥檚 still things that happen where you say鈥� 鈥業 can鈥檛 believe you just did that. How can you do that to somebody you love?鈥欌��
The disconnect never swayed his passion for the job.
Glen, who grew up in Vernon, has been with the RCMP for 21 years. He ended nearly four years as sergeant at White Rock鈥檚 detachment last week, after accepting an offer to take a post in 琉璃神社, effective June 11.
At 51, Glen says this next chapter of his career will take him away from what鈥檚 been a great place to work 鈥� but it鈥檒l also take him right back to where he wants to be.
鈥淚 really am looking forward to it,鈥� the affable officer said of the general-duty position that he accepted in January.
鈥淚 think, in my heart, I鈥檓 more of a street cop as opposed to an administrator. It鈥檒l be fun.鈥�
The sergeant marked his last day at the seaside city鈥檚 detachment on May 24.
In an interview two days prior, Glen 鈥� who has lived on the Semiahmoo Peninsula with his wife and three children for 24 years 鈥� described a diverse career that鈥檚 included far more than domestic-assault investigations. It鈥檚 taken him from municipal-detachment posts, to stints with a pair of the Mounties鈥� integrated teams, including targeting auto crime.
He arrived in White Rock after four years as a unit commander with the Integrated Sexual Predator Observation Team, a unit that was created in 2005 to monitor sexual predators who have been recently released from custody, to ensure they comply with probation orders and bail conditions.
Regardless of where he was posted or what point of his career he was at, Glen said there鈥檚 been no shortage of interesting files and incidents.
In Langley, he had a butcher knife thrown at him by a suspect he鈥檇 tracked to a stairwell while investigating a domestic incident. He received a medal of bravery for his response to that 2009 incident.
He broke his hand 鈥� to a degree that required surgery 鈥� in a fight that ensued with a suspect during a stolen-car investigation.
And, he had a stinging encounter with a barbed-wire fence while pursuing a suspect in Walnut Grove.
Not to mention sundry other 鈥渂umps and bruises.鈥�
For those with any doubt, the City of White Rock, said Glen, is 鈥渄efinitely not immune to big-city problems.鈥�
He named drive-by shootings and sex assaults as among files that have been investigated over the past four years as evidence of the claim. He鈥檚 also warned residents about tax and , and logged reports of shots-fired.
And of course, the massive May 2016 fire in Five Corners 鈥� which remains under , as the quest to identify and locate the arsonist who set the blaze continues.
There鈥檚 also cases that warm the heart, such as Glen鈥檚 first call-out after arriving in White Rock: to assist in the rescue of a beached seal pup, after the mammal was found stranded near the white rock.
Out of everything, Glen said the toughest part of policing for him, has been when he鈥檚 had to tell parents their child has died.
But he鈥檚 never doubted his career choice.
鈥淚鈥檝e wanted to be a cop since I was a little kid. It鈥檚 all I ever wanted to do.鈥�
Glen鈥檚 seat at the White Rock detachment has been filled by Sgt. Rob Dixon, from the Surrey detachment鈥檚 major crimes unit. Dixon was among officers cited for heroism and outstanding service in 2016.
