JULY 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
29
New livestock industry co-ordinator embraces dream job RCMP finally fills two-year vacancy with former steer wrestler
by TOM WALKER KAMLOOPS – BC’s new
livestock investigator introduced himself at the BC Cattlemen’s AGM in Kamloops on June 5.
“I understand that this position has been vacant for a while and you have been without an ear to bend,” RCMP Corporal Cory Lepine quipped. “I want you guys to know that I am really excited; this is a dream job for me. I am looking forward to working with you and learning lots.” Lepine is a 15 year veteran of the RCMP, having worked in Nanaimo, Lytton, Kelowna and West Kelowna, where he is currently a watch
commander leading a team of six officers. Originally a journeyman sheet metal mechanic, Lepine enlisted with the RCMP at 29. “I love building things but I
always wanted to be a Mountie,” he told Country Life in BC.
Though he grew up in
Kelowna, Lepine spent most summers at an uncle’s ranch outside Lumby. The experience gave him an appreciation for cowboy life. “My brother and I used to
ride my uncle’s steers when we were young,” he says. “In my early 20s, I decided I wanted to be a rodeo cowboy and I took up steer wrestling.” While it was “a short and unsuccessful career,” Lepine is still involved with the BC Rodeo Association. His daughter barrel races and ropes, while his son is a hockey player. “I’m ecstatic about going
into this job,” says Lepine, who spoke with former livestock investigator Cpl. Ralph Overby, who retired in 2015. “I knew it existed. I’ve had it on my human resources wish list for about three years.” Levine sees
and rustling, investigating animal welfare issues, trespass and fencing issues and highway accidents. “But
perhaps his most important role for us will be his ability to work with the rural
CORPORAL CORY LEPINE
opportunities to build relationships and capacity in his new role, saying he learned a lot about community policing while stationed in Lytton. “Lytton was my best
posting,” he says. “We spent a lot of time on foot patrols. I learned the most about being a community policeman and what it took to build trust.” “The position is extremely
important for the industry and we are happy to see it filled after a long vacancy,” says Kevin Boon, general manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association. “As we see more urbanization happening in our agriculture communities, there is a bigger need than ever to make sure there is someone there for everyone to resolve conflicts and assist in emergencies.” Boon says that Lepine’s job description is fairly broad, from investigating and resolving issues among producers, between producers and adjacent landowners who are not livestock producers, poaching
detachments throughout the province to
make sure that the officers throughout BC have someone to draw on for information and help when they have to deal with one of [the] many issues,” says Boon. “There are a lot of rural police who have no background or knowledge of the livestock industry in BC.” Lepine echoes that
concern. “It’s pretty difficult to take someone from Montreal or Toronto and put him in Williams Lake or Quesnel and have a cow get hit by a car,” he says. “To them, it’s just a cow, but to a producer, it’s their income.” “Part of the job is going to be educating our members
on how to deal with a lot of the files they are being tasked with when it comes to rural policing,” he adds. “I need to let our members know I’m there to support them to understand the industry.” Lepine says AgSafe BC is
developing protocols and procedures for cattle liner incidents. They are putting together a brochure for first responders, he says. “If you show up at a cattle
liner roll-over, it will tell you what do you do, the steps and who to contact. Helping them get that out to members will be a big task.”
“This is a breath of fresh air
for me, I am definitely ready for a change from traditional metro policing,” says Lepine. “While the majority of my work is going to be in boots and jeans, there will be times that will be dangerous for me, when I will need to put my vest on, and that is when I am going to need to rely on the community to give me a heads up.” “This is not a step along a
path,” says Lepine. “I’m happy with the rank I am at. I’ve told the cattlemen I am interested in doing this job for as long as they will let me.”
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