Oak Bay Family
Our family feature section explores the challenges of parenting and offers advice. Pages A13-16
NEWS: Firefighters push for new school bus /A3 ARTS: Literacy fundraiser takes Belfry stage /A10 FEATURE: Fort Rodd brings history to life /A17
OAK BAYNEWS TO SERVE AND PROTECT Friday, May 24, 2013
www.vicnews.com
Changes afoot for Oak Bay Police as seasoned vets retire and new officers bring fresh ideas
Don Symes
Bill Bellwood
Art Goodwin
T
hree long-term Oak Bay police officers are hanging up their hats, while three new members come in to replace them. After 28 years with the department, and five years with the RCMP before that, Sgt. Don Symes is retiring from the force. Symes filled a variety of roles during his career, including working in the detectives office and on patrol. “He was well-respected within the department and the community,” said Chief Const. Mark Fisher. Also calling it a day after long careers are Const. Bill Bellwood and Const. Art Goodwin, who started their careers together and will now be finishing their careers together. Bellwood has already retired, while Goodwin will be saying goodbye toward the end of June. Bellwood and Goodwin went through RCMP training together in the early 1970s. Their respective careers took them in different directions,
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but nearly nine years ago they both ended up joining the Oak Bay Police. One of the new officers picking up the slack is Alex Omoding, who 17 years ago, came to Victoria from Uganda, where both his parents continue to live. Omoding worked in all aspects of African safari tours for years before accepting a job at the Fairmont Empress hotel, where he worked until 2008. It was there, after being hand-picked to serve Queen Elizabeth during her 2002 Golden Jubliee visit to the capital city, that Omoding took particular interest in the security surrounding the monarch and decided to fulfill his long-standing desire to be a police officer. “The first person I met moving to Canada in 1996 was an RCMP officer and I thought ‘Wow … It was always in the back of my mind,’” he said. Omoding began with the West Shore RCMP in 2009 and left in February to join the Oak Bay force. Brian Lucas, who trained Omoding on the
Sharon Tiffin/News staff
New Oak Bay Police constables Alex Omoding, left, and Brian Lucas at the station in Oak Bay.
West Shore, also came to Oak Bay shortly thereafter. “We share a lot in common. He has more experience than me policing, but I’m more mature, older than he is, so we kind of balance each other out. … I’m more senior than him now – in Oak Bay.” PlEASE SEE: New members bring experience, Page A12
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