Todd Robertson joined the RCMP in 2023 after serving as a Calgary police officer for decades. The two Rural Alberta Report articles provide a window into rural/urban policing and a peek at what makes this officer tick. Robertson works out of the Three Hills detachment and occasionally serves as a supply officer in other Alberta detachments.

※     ※     ※

Being a Mountie fits what I expected and I enjoy it. Before leaving Calgary Police Service (CPS), I lived in the country but worked in the city. How small towns work is not foreign and I have nothing but respect for those I work with. I may be the oldest in my detachment and have the longest service record, but I make it clear I still need to learn from them. In the city, there are specialists for everything; out here, for day-to-day responsibilities, I’ve had to be coached by my colleagues.

My new career is what I anticipated, especially the individuals I work with. In rural detachments, they need to be resourceful, jack-of-all trade investigators, and are often called back to work for incidents that require additional members.

You described law enforcement as a front row seat to the best show in the world.

There’s truth in that. I like being the one who shows up when you are having the worst day of your life. My job is to handle chaos and make it better. The vast majority will have no police interaction other than a traffic stop. Their impression of us may be forever impacted by that one interaction. I want them to have encountered a professional, courteous officer.

The vast majority of my schedule is general duties, or patrol. And yes, there’s travel, helping other detachments as an investigator, a small reminder of my plainclothes days. All that travelling lets me cram as much experience—working in different parts of the province—into the few years I’ll be a member, compared to someone who serves for 25 years. 

When I talk about the job, I mean CPS and the RCMP. Both have been good to me and my family, and I would be proud for any of my children to enter this career. It is meaningful work, has strong camaraderie, and good opportunities for growth and advancement. They have shaped who and what I am. 

I see significant differences between urban and rural policing. The calls for service and the profession of policing are the same, demanding strong judgment and commitment. But there are differences from day to day due to population density and availability of resources (such as other officers). The driving time out here from one call to the next may be long; in the city we had a relatively small area. Out here we operate with greater independence and self-reliance. I like having a greater connection with the public; we often know individuals and they know us. There’s no anonymity in a small town.

I police the community I live in and take pride knowing I’m one of the people who contributes to the public safety and quality of life right outside my doorstep.