A good guy, dedicated, committed, funny, and a true gentleman are just a few of the words people use when describing North Bay Police Service spokesman Yvon Montcalm.
A good guy, dedicated, committed, funny, and a true gentleman are just a few of the words people use when describing North Bay Police Service spokesman Yvon Montcalm.
For the past 11 years Montcalm has been the go to guy for the media and community programming inquiries and Wednesday marked his final day in the position. Montcalm ended the career on what he called a high note by doing what he loves helping people.
Montcalm says the day was met with mixed emotions as he starts the next chapter in his life.
"I'm going on to court work as far as work is concerned. A lot more leisure activity now in the future," he tells BayToday.
"On the other side of the coin is I've loved working here the North Bay Police Service has been a great part of my working life for a long time and all of a sudden it is over."
He admits at some point work has to end for everyone and he decided to go out on a high note.
"And like somebody said maybe it's time to leave when you are on top of your game rather than when you start hating things and you are on your way down. The other aspect is I'm getting older, who isn't, but the bottom line is, do I leave when I am in a walker or walking with a cane ... if I'm still healthy and I have put in a lot of time then you know what, it is time to turn that chapter and move on."
He also says it may sound phony, but the thing he loved most about his job was helping others without a doubt.
"The real satisfaction, and not helping someone cross the street, but we have a bureaucracy here at the police station we have 140 people who work for our service and you're going to have a bureaucracy with a number like that, and what happens is when you have a problem and you try to get into a bureaucracy you get bounced around like a pinball at one time or another, you're frustrated, you're not happy and you're telling yourself you're a taxpayer and you've got to put up with this and you're not happy and I can understand that," he explains.
"So when I get a call to come to my office, and I'm not the end all and be all, but I have been here long enough and I have enough experience here that I can get an answer if I don't know it already within five minutes. That's a wonderful feeling to be able to help somebody. For me it's probably problem 45 of the day, but for that individual who maybe needed an answer and needed to speak to the appropriate person, for that person it's a big thing. That's a nice feeling inside and I think it comes down to that."
Montcalm tells Baytoday that he will miss all the friends he has made over the years including his media friends and offers one piece of advice for Ted Whittle who steps into the position.
“The media in North Bay and area have become my friends,” he states.
“For Ted I just said make sure you take your responsibility seriously for the media and take care of business.”
“When the media contact you for something don't be playing games, don't be putting them on the back burner do it now. They have deadlines, they have jobs to do and generally they don't try to make us look bad or make anybody look bad they want to fulfill the deadline that's their job … help them that's what you're here for.”
And his parting information for the community.
“Life is a big circle particularly if you're in a position of power like a lot of police are and we tell ourselves isn't this a wonderful position to be in … a lot of responsibility with that, treat people with dignity and respect. I'm not talking bad guys I'm talking the average citizen treat them with respect.”
“I have an adage treat them people like you would want your relatives treated in another town by their police service.”
