Every day working for the 100 Mile House RCMP is a chance to learn something new for Cst. Brandon Visscher.
Visscher is one of the 17 officers assigned to the 100 Mile House RCMP detachment. 100 Mile House marks Visscher's first posting as a cop and one he specifically hoped he would get, noting he loves the great outdoors.
"I'm happy to be part of the force. It's a good job with a super steep learning curve, but it's good. New experiences every day," Visscher remarked. "I love this area. The Cariboo region, the whole interior plateau, it's just a gorgeous landscape up here. Lot of opportunities for recreation like fishing, hunting and just getting out on the lakes. It is a great place for someone who enjoys the outdoors like I do."
Originally from the Lower Mainland, Visscher said before joining the force, he spent the last four summers doing forestry work in the Cariboo. Visscher said after high school, he worked several jobs relating to public safety, including as a wildfire firefighter and as an army reservist. Once his time with them was done, he decided to try applying to the RCMP to carry on working in public service.
Visscher's application was accepted and in March of 2024, he was sent to Regina to train at the RCMP Academy, more commonly known as Depot. He said he can't go into extensive detail on their methods but noted the academy teaches you policing "from the ground up."
"I'd done one ride-along before going to Depot. They do a really good job of building the foundation for someone like myself who had zero experience in policing to be ready to go into the field coaching program," Visscher explained. "There is firearms training, tons of driving training and a lot of what's called applied police science. That's basically how the law works and how we are a part of that. There's a lot of time spent on that because that's what we do every day."
One unique aspect of RCMP training compared to other police training is the RCMP's paramilitary status. As a result, Visscher said his training included learning basic military drill and parade practices.
The most enjoyable part of training for Visscher was the driving training they had him do. He explained the RCMP have a large track set up in Regina where he got to practice different manoeuvres, including off-road driving and high-speed highway chases, which gave him a strong understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the RCMP's cruisers.
"There's a lot of testing done there, but they give you a lot of time to practise, and the practise is when you get to feel the car. You learn the limitations and abilities of it," Visscher said.
Following his six months of basic training, Visscher then graduated into the field coaching program for another six months. Visscher said during this time, he was accompanied by another officer who watched and mentored him as he put his newly-learned skills to practical use.
Visscher said the jump to real-world policing was a huge learning curve, as in addition to learning how to interact with the public, he also had to learn laws and practices unique to B.C. Initially, he said his field training officer was very hands-on on but as time passed let him do more and more of the job on his own. For the last two months now, he's been on his own but still relies on the older members of the detachment for advice and support.
"This detachment is pretty good. We have some pretty good experienced members here. It's good learning from them," Visscher remarked. "Whenever we have questions, there are typically answers right around the corner."
On a day-to-day basis, Visscher said no day is ever the same working for the RCMP. The only point of consistency is the officers' morning briefing, where they discuss what they're doing. Following that, whatever happens, happens with Visscher and the others responding to any calls that come in on top of any file work from existing cases.
Calls vary from disturbance to public nuisance calls, with Visscher noting their location along Highway 97, meaning they get a lot of complaints about speeding or dangerous driving. In addition to 100 Mile House, Visscher and his comrades cover the communities of Canim Lake, Forest Grove, Lac La Hache, 93 Mile, the Interlakes and Lone Butte.
"Depending on where the calls come in, it can be a full day of driving around," Visscher said. "It's a pretty good chunk of land to cover, but at least the drives are nice and you get some good country to drive by."
Visscher said he enjoys getting to know the people of the South Cariboo through his work. Building a relationship with people and helping them when they need him is a rewarding experience, he remarked. To that end, Visscher also does his best to visit Horse Lake Elementary School, his assigned school, to meet with and answer the questions of students.
Looking to the future, Visscher said he is still figuring out what kind of career he'd like to have with the RCMP. When he first started, he was interested in the idea of becoming a K9 unit handler, but noted there is a lot of opportunity within an organization as big as the RCMP.
"You get the opportunity to guide your career in the RCMP, to a certain degree, which is nice," Visscher said. "At Depot, I was pretty interested in the dogs, the police dog service as we call it in the RCMP, but that could change. Something else might come up and I might enjoy it more, so you never know. That's kind of the exciting thing about the RCMP, you never know."
