True and Fascinating Canadian History
Vet of the Month: January, 2016
Reg.#47041, Constable Derek Danells
RCMP Vets. Ottawa, ON
Derek Danell's interest in policing as a career began when he was a young man. He was born in Saint John, NB in 1947 and Derek's only dream was to join the RCMP. Ann, a daughter recalled Derek's aspirations to join the Force and she told this story about her father.
Ann said, "When dad grew up in Saint John, NB, he always wanted to be a police officer. He met my mom in 1966, and they married in 1967. Shortly after getting married he was accepted to the RCMP. He also found out that his wife was pregnant with their first child.
So, rather than leave her alone to raise a child without him, he chose to stay at home, buckle down and get a trade. Dad became a plumber / pipefitter and he worked in the trade for years. He worked in many places, including Point Lepreau and Colson Cove. NB."
Ann recalled that her Dad was actively involved in the community, she said that, "Dad was also an active member in Tae Kwon Do, and he opened many classes to teach new students. One of his classes led him to Sussex. There Dad met several of the local town police officers, and he became an active member in their Auxiliary Force."
But, his dream of becoming a full fledged police officer remained with him over all the years. Derek's daughter continued her story saying, "Dad's love for policing became eminent at that time, and at the age of 41 he went back to Police Academy to become a full fledge member of the policing world.
After Basic Recruit Training, Dad was hired on as a full time member with the Sussex Town Police Department in 1991. The Sussex Town Police Department was taken over by the RCMP in 1999 and Derek became a full time member of the RCMP."
Derek was a little older than many of the other Sussex police officers who were accepted into the RCMP. As a result of his age, he was able to retire from the RCMP in 2011 considering that he had combined service with the Sussex Town Police and the RCMP.
After he retired, he remained active in the Restorative Justice Program for a time, as it was a deep passion of his.
A few short years after he retired in 2011, Derek began to feel sick. He fought hard, but lost his battle with cancer, He died on December 28, 2015. Derek was laid to rest beside his wife Carol in The Evergreen Memorial City Cemetery, Sussex, NB. Derek was 68 years of age.
I wish to thank Derek's daughter, Ms. Ann Northrup for kindly telling me more about her Dad, and for providing the photos which were used in this short memorial.
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. Healy
January 23, 2016
