Const. Sarah Harding is new to not only the Barrhead RCMP detachment, but to the force altogether.
When asked about her history with the RCMP, Harding laughed and said, it was short and sweet.
“It’s a very short history because I’m new,” she said. “So I’m new to Barrhead and I’m new to the RCMP.”
In previous years, Harding has worked with the force as a civilian, and realized this was the direction she wanted to take.
“Previously I had worked for the RCMP and policing in general as a civilian employee and I really enjoyed that, but there is just a lot more career opportunity once you become a officer, and I wanted to expand my career options,” Harding said. “I also like the idea that with the RCMP you can go anywhere in Canada.”
Harding finished her depot training in October, and accepted the posting in Barrhead shortly after.
Officers are placed in various postings across the country and can request a province or territory but have little say in exactly where they go.
“I requested Alberta and I was lucky enough to get Alberta, and Barrhead Alberta is where there was an opening so that is where they put me,” Harding said.
Harding said when she first heard she was joining the Barrhead detachment she did what any newcomer would do, she Googled it.
“There’s not a lot of info on Barrhead,” she said, adding some information she learned was population size.
“It seemed like most amenities were in town and most businesses were run by local owners,” Harding said. “It seemed like a real support your local businesses type of community.”
Growing up in Nakusp, B.C., a small village located on the shores of Upper Arrow Lake, Harding was accustomed to the small town feel.
“I like small towns, I grew up in a small town so I was happy with that,” Harding said. “I like the close-knit community feel, where once you get into the town and get to know people everyone knows everyone.”
Harding said she decided to work for the RCMP because of her love for law.
“In high school I took a law class that I really enjoyed, so when it came time for university I decided I wanted to do a criminology degree,” Harding said.
After attending university in Lower Mainland B.C. Harding began an internship.
“I worked as a civilian at a few different police agencies in Lower Mainland B.C. and got convinced that I liked the field and it was just a matter of where you want to go and what kind of opportunities do you want, so the choice became RCMP,” Harding said.
When it comes to the Barrhead detachment, Harding said she loves the family feel.
“It’s really good, everyone gets along well and it’s a good close-knit family,” she said. “I hear just from word of mouth that Barrhead is one of the good postings, everyone gets along and people enjoy the town and enjoy working here.”
