Dave Glancie will spend six months walking.
Hiking with the dog, traipsing the links, and touring the house with his wife’s handy to-do list in hand, are the only objectives Glancie has for the time between retiring his badge and seeking out his next job.
Relaxing at a table in the News Review office, Glancie can’t help but grin and think back to 35-plus years ago when a reporter with his small town Ontario newspaper, the Gananoque Reporter, interviewed him for a story about the then teen cop.
Now a corporal with the Central Saanich Police Service, he was sworn into the RCMP in Ottawa on June 23, 1975.
Come May 1, he’ll be a regular citizen.
“I always promised I would take six months off. I’m only 55 so I will go back to work doing something,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s like to be a normal person. I’ve always had this uniform on.”
His career planning started a year before graduation; much like he’s been anticipating his retirement since last June.
“I always liked working on cars, so that was plan A in high school,” he explained. It was downgraded to plan B one day in Grade 11 when municipal, provincial and federal police were represented at a school career fair.
“Six weeks after my 19th birthday I was off to Regina,” he said.
That year Glancie was sworn into the RCMP a brotherhood that took him halfway into his career.
“My first town was Port Alberni,” he said. “I was young and got involved in a lot of things. People there were really good to the police and the police were good to them.”
He spent more than three years there, being part of a community that reminded him of home. Transfers took him to stints in Port Hardy, then what is now the West Shore detachment. Faced with a possible
transfer off-Island, he joined the ranks of Central Saanich Police Service in 1990. In 21 years on the Peninsula he served in many capacities; residents will recognize his face from patrol duties, he’s also acted as traffic safety officer, court liaison officer and exhibit custodian. Kids will recognize him as the friendly cop who comes to their school.
“Being a kid from a small town you know the importance of building a bond,” he said. “You can end your career on a positive note and being proactive.”
He feels he’s bookended that policing career nicely with small communities that remind him of home and is particularly pleased to end his career as the school liaison officer. He’s enjoyed working with the kids, even those who didn’t necessarily enjoy working with him. “It reinforces with me that there are great kids out there,” he said. “Even the hardest kids.”
Twice in his career, both times working in Central Saanich, he was awarded medals for his work.
One was for arresting three armed bank robbers who had just robbed the Royal Bank in Sidney in June 1995. Glancie, Sgt. Morrison and Cst. Murray located and arrested the suspects in the get-a-way car in Central Saanich.
“All three of us received the medal … it was good team work,” Glancie said.
The second medal was for arresting a man at the scene of the murder of his wife in January of 2000 in Brentwood Bay.
Glancie and Sgt. Dillon Sahota (who is still with CS Police) broke into the home to discover the man who was later convicted of first degree murder. “For the arrest, Sgt. Sahota and I received this medal in 2002, again it was good teamwork,” Glancie said.
That teamwork is something officers often highlight, and Glancie is no different.
“The camaraderie in policing is pretty incredible,” he said. “That’s what I’ve enjoyed most, working with people.”
People are also part of the reason it’s time to retire the badge as he hits 55. And a six-month break before seeking employment.
“I don’t see myself being bored,” Glancie said. “I think it’s a well-deserved rest because unfortunately over the 36 years I’ve seen some horrible things people do to other people.”
Princess in a towel
While the last three-and-a-half years working with kids has been rewarding, there are a couple of more memorable moments in his 36-year career; they include a lasting image of Princess Diana, and working at the athletes village at the 2011 Winter Games.
Expo was a plethora of famous faces and Glancie worked details at Government House and Victoria area hotels. He had to put in extra effort not to stare, when he came across Diana, Princess of Wales.
“She was standing in a hallway about 10 feet away from me, coming back from the pool with a towel around her,” Glancie said.
While assigned to the Olympic Games in Vancouver, he was reminded of the brotherhood between RCMP as he came together with officers from across the country to work the large venue.
“I was so happy to go over there and yet so happy to get home,” Glancie said. “I was so tired when I got home.” Working the vehicle entry at the athletes village was anything but a cake walk — 12-hour shifts plus travel time to and from their accommodations meant for long days.