Red Deer RCMP Insp. Karen Simon has the distinction of being the first female inspector in the city’s enforcement history but don’t call her a trailblazer.
The modest 50-year-old will play down the honour insisting there are several other deserving females and she just happened to be selected.
Simon sees her May 2010 appointment more as an example of setting your mind to something and following through.
“You can do it,” said Simon. “If that’s what you choose to do.”
Simon chose her path at an early age growing up in Central Alberta. Advice and examples set by Const. Jim Yen who was then stationed out of the Bashaw RCMP, and Cpl. Dale Crewson with the Red Deer RCMP planted the seeds for her career in law enforcement.
In the early 1980s, Simon was one of 24 women who entered the RCMP Academy, Depot Division in Regina, Sask., and one of 21 who graduated. Since then the depots have eliminated female-only training and implemented mixed troupes.
“It is a united aspect as opposed to males against females,” said Simon.
“You get rid of that aspect. I was very fortunate in the aspect the women who had been in the six years before prior to me had broken a lot of ground and faced a lot of issues that helped tremendously as we hit the field.”
Simon said there were issues that came to light but the female officers worked through them.
Now in her 30th year in enforcement services, Simon has seen a lot of advances for bringing women into the RCMP. While the female ratio is still only 23 or 24 per cent, Simon would like to see a higher percentage.
At the same time, she stressed it is not about being male or female.
“We’re looking for great young Canadians that have a passion to do it because it’s not just a job,” she said.
“People who join a police force or any emergency services are there to serve, and have that built within them. I would like to see people who really do find it a passion doing police work. They join for the right reasons.”
There are 34 female members in the Red Deer City detachment. Simon said that’s the highest number of females in one detachment where she has worked.
Simon’s official hat is the operations support officer of the detachment, supporting front-line policing.
Before coming to Red Deer, Simon spent a 10-year stint in Grande Prairie, and prior to her northern Alberta posting, she worked in High Prairie, Hinton, and Kyle, Saskatoon and North Battleford, Sask. Her husband, Ivan, retired from the RCMP in 2007. They raised three children - twin boys, 21, and a daughter, 20.
“Being a female working shift work with your husband working shift work and raising three kids, there’s a lot of challenges,” said Simon.
“But we rose to all those challenges. There were some very difficult times. We were very fortunate to have a strong network at all the places we were at to help us through those times.”
In 1990, the mother-of-three decided to take a break from the workforce while living in the Yukon to raise her children. She said she would not give a minute of that precious time back.
“I got to spend five years at home with our young kids,” said Simon. “As the boys started off to school, I went back to work.”
Simon was selected as an Aide-de-Camp to Lt. Governor Donald S. Ethell when she arrived in Red Deer in 2010. Among her duties in the voluntary five-year position, Simon acts as a liaison and advisor between the Lieutenant Governor’s office and organizations. Simon has participated in an awards ceremony including the Remembrance Day service at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School.
Simon said her 30 years in the enforcement services have been interesting and she is not looking to retire any time soon. She offers advice to those thinking about following in her footprints.
“Challenge yourself,” she said. “Push the limits. Look for good guidance and direction.”
Five years ago, Simon received a phone call from one of her early role models, Crewson.
“So has your mom gotten over it ?” she laughed, recalling the conversation. “I said, I think she’s not so mad anymore.”
Simon explained her mother had concerns about her daughter entering a male-dominated field.
“Her response was why can’t one of your brothers do that,” said Simon. “Why do you have to do it. Because they don’t want to. And I do.”
Simon credits her success to the strong family support from her three brothers and parents. One son has followed into Simon’s footsteps and is a RCMP officer in Saskatoon.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com