The sound you've heard coming from the direction of the Airdrie RCMP detachment for the past week has been the teeth of three officers chattering.

 

Inspector Kim Pasloske, Constable Kaeli Ritchie, and Constable Sylvain Nicolas are still trying to warm up after diving into the freezing water of a Calgary lake during the 2018 Polar Plunge in support of Special Olympics on Saturday, February 24th.

Constable Nicolas thinks he may have blown any chance of a promotion he had when he pushed Inspector Pasloske, his boss at the detachment, out of the way in a desperate attempt to escape the frigid water.

He laughs, "First of all  I have to say that it was a little colder than I anticipated.  I'd like to show you the video.  Apparently, I made quite a fool of myself.  As the three of us jumped at the same time, I almost like panicked going into the water and rushed out of the gate.  I was the first one out of the water and I basically pushed my boss out of the way so I could get out of the water."

The Polar Plunge started out innocently enough when Nicolas and Ritchie were asked to wear their red serge at the opening ceremonies of the event.  Nicolas went to Inspector Pasloske for permission.  

"At the same time, I asked her if she would dare plunge into the cold water with us.  It stayed on the down low for a bit and then she contacted us later on and basically challenged us if we were to raise $500 between myself and Constable Ritchie that she would raise $500 on her own and she would plunge with us.  Next thing we knew, 24 hours later, we had raised more than $500 and the Inspector backed her words and raised much more than our goal was."

Pasloske calls her challenge to the two Constables "A stroke of questionable decision making," saying, "They seemed to think I was serious and actually made it happen.  Yikes!"

In the end, the three officers raised a total of $1,815 and took the plunge for Special Olympics.

Nicolas says plans are already in the works for a much bigger contingent from Airdrie at the Polar Plunge in 2019.  "I think so yeah.  Already at the detachment here in Airdrie I've been approached by three of our members who saw me making a fool of myself in the water.  They want to participate next year so we're going to make this thing bigger.  I'm hoping I can challenge some other Calgary surrounding detachments like Cochrane, Strathmore, and Okotoks so we can make it a big event and have more RCMP members on board."

The Polar Plunge was put on by the Alberta Law Enforcement Torch Run that has made Special Olympics its cause since the late 1980's.  It's become the largest, grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics in the world.  In 2017 the Torch Run and Polar Plunge raised over $620,000 for Special Olympics.