On Friday, June 30, in honour of a century and a half of RCMP's existence, the public is invited to celebrate the major milestone.

Starting at 1 p.m. and running till 4 p.m., the RCMP is inviting all residents of Airdrie (free admission) and the surrounding areas for photo opportunities with various specialized units that the RCMP use, including the K-9 unit, as well as the detachment's local officers. The event is being held across from the Airdrie RCMP detachment (2 Highland Park Way NE ).

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Cpl. Gina Slaney, RCMP Public Information Officer for Southern Alberta District said that other units that will be present include the Forensics Identification Unit, as well as the Emergency Response Team. Pending operational availability, the RCMP's helicopter and boat team may also make an appearance. For the youngest residents, the RCMP safety bear may also come and shake a paw. 

"While the RCMP and its work has evolved over 150 years, our commitment has stayed the same for Canadians. Throughout this anniversary year, we will look at the past to demonstrate that actions have been taken to modernize and show the integral role the RCMP has in keeping Canadians and our country safe," Cpl. Slaney added.

While the event will also offer food trucks and treats for kids, Cpl. Slaney did say the event is also a chance to recruit potential candidates.

"We are stressing that we need RCMP officers, and we want to recruit the best people to come and do this job with us."

In her 20-some-year career, Cpl. Slaney has said that she has also observed changes, especially when it comes to the role of women in the police force.

"I have seen over my 23 years of being a police officer that we've made huge changes with regard to how females are being treated in the force. That for me is very special and a very positive thing."

According to the RCMP, approximately one-fifth of the RCMP's police officers are women. 

The RCMP has over 658 detachments across Canada, as well as 134 working dog teams (handler and dog)  and 122 police service horses. Throughout its history, however, the RCMP was not always known as the RCMP. In fact, the organization's original name was the Dominion Police.

"The federal policing body at the time was the Dominion Police, whose main role was to guard the Parliament Buildings. As such a small organization, it didn't have the size and structure to police the Northwest Territories. To fill this gap, Parliament passed an act that allowed for the creation of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) on May 23, 1873. Today, we consider this the official birthdate of the RCMP," The RCMP state on their website. 

"I think it's a great opportunity for the citizens of Airdrie and the surrounding areas to come out and meet our police officers. Sometimes we get a bad rep[mutation]. We have a difficult job - nobody wants to be arrested and held accountable for their actions," Cpl. Slaney said. "But we also foster relationships and one of our goals is to get out there and let people get to know us for who we really are."

Parking for the event is available in the TransCanada Turbine Parking lot, as well as on the street, though parking in the detachment's parking lot is not permitted for the event. 

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