Out of retirement

A year's retirement was enough.
Ex-RCMP Sergeant Ted Cronmiller rejoined the force as a Reserve Constable in July, after retiring in April of 2004.
He had already accumulated 34 years of service, the last five of which were in Osoyoos, but when a part-time casual opportunity came up, Cronmiller was ready to go back to work.
The RCMP recently started the provincially-funded Reserve Constable Program, Cronmiller explained.
It's an opportunity for retired members to go back to work and fill in for members who are on leave or away on holidays and to cover summer policing.
The advantage to the detachment is that retired members are already trained and have all the qualifications.rnUnder the program, a member can work the equivalent of four months out of the year.
Cronmiller's duties are mainly patrol, either out on the lake in the police boat or on the beaches and parks on foot.
He also fills in other general duties, such as providing security work at the recent fire in Oliver.
When I'm working, I'm working. When I'm off, I'm retired, Cronmiller said.
He likes the flexibility of choosing when and where he wants to work, a luxury he didn't have before.
I'm there to provide assistance to the detachment. There is not enough staff or funding to provide the service the area needs.
The community is changing. We could use two or three extra constables here during the summer.
With the Harbour Key Drive problems and all the stolen vehicles this summer, it puts a lot of pressure on the members.rnBut Cronmiller added that he thought it had been a relatively good summer.
It was mostly minor stuff - an increase in drinking, fights and accidents with the population increase in the summer.rnCronmiller said, like everywhere, growth brings more problems to the police. The more popular Osoyoos becomes, the more attractive it is to all segments of society.
So why go back to work when most dream of retirement?rnI get that question every day, Cronmiller said.
People see me in uniform and say, 'I thought you had retired. What are you doing?' But when you do something you have done most of your life, you still enjoy it. And with this career, there's always something going on. It's not a dull job.rnCronmiller also keeps busy with the Osoyoos Golf Club, Parks and Rec Department and Destin-ation Osoyoos, as 1st Vice Chairman.
I don't have a major role at Destination Osoyoos, but it's interesting work. I give them input on the tourism end of things.
I see all the work I do as continuing a role in civil service.rnCronmiller, who ran in the last by-election, said he will probably run in the municipal election this November.
I'll give it one more try. Again, I see it as a natural fit with the rest of my community involve-ment. I don't have any agendas; I'm just looking to make Osoyoos the best place it can be, he said.