Photo: New Staff Sgt. Dave Kalist is settling in at the RCMP detachment in Lloydminster.
By Katie Ryan
While it’s only been his first week on the job, already the city’s new staff sergeant likes what he sees.
“Lloydminster is a busy detachment and there’s a lot of good people working here in the detachment that I am really looking forward to working with and being a part of,” said Staff Sgt. Dave Kalist, who has been a Mountie for 17 years.
Kalist will take the reins from Sgt. Ken Marchand, who has been acting as the interim detachment commander for the past year. After recently moving with his wife and children from Red Deer to their new home in the Border City, Kalist attended his first city council meeting on Monday.
Following two failed attempts to secure a staff sergeant for Lloydminster’s 39 member strong force, Mayor Jeff Mulligan said he is pleased that the city now has a permanent detachment commander.
“It’s great to see the new staff sergeant. Certainly since Sgt. Yanota has been gone we’ve had guys filling in and they’ve done a great job, but seeing some certainty and some permanency here is a great thing,” said Mulligan.
“I think the good news is when we went to K Division we saw a real heightened professionalism, heightened leadership, heightened strategy. And with Sgt. Kalist he has experience in a headquarters type role so I am expecting improved reporting, community connectiveness and an increased level of cohesion and interplay between myself, Tom Lysyk (senior director of corporate affairs) and the staff sergeant.”
With six years under his belt as a watch commander sergeant in Red Deer, Kalist is settling into his new position and familiarizing himself with the city.
“It’s going to take a little while to figure out what the issues are here and get to know the people, but I’m sure in time it will come,” he said.
“As well, moving into the role of a detachment commander is going to be a challenge, but I think I can do it.”
Other staffing news
Lloydminster detachment is expecting two new cadets in late June to fill the city’s recent approval for an increase of two additional members.
The detachment is also awaiting the arrival of an experienced corporal from E Division. Cpl. Robb Karaim and Cst. Kent Short have sold their homes and will be leaving the detachment in late June.