Police Volunteer Honoured

Written by Peter McIntyre Wednesday, 02 February 2011 11:31

The Vernon program that teaches young people about careers in policing, has got a big cash infusion. Rachel Zubick  from the Community Policing Office says their society is donating $2,600 to the Vernon School Board, for the Jean Minguy  academy, money raised from their Fall Ball.  "We're making this presentation in memory of Mary Rose Baldwin, a ten year volunteer at the Community Policing Office, champion of the RCMP in law enforcement as the 'killer old lady' of the youth academy.  Zubick says Baldwin died recently at age 87, but used to work with the young recruits at the academy, teaching them to expect the unexpected especially from a killer old granny who would take you out in a second. "She proudly holds the honour of being the highest kill of anybody with the youth academy."  Vernon RCMP spokesman Gord Molendyk says Baldwin's background was in teaching.  "She continued her teaching in her volunteer life. While she was here, she worked with our young people but also when she went to Golden she volunteered in the schools teaching children in reading. Her love was the police and she loved working with the youth academy." Molendyk says Baldwin would play "the little old lady driving in a car" in scenarios with the young people and officers. "And when the members would check her and lower their guard, she would pull a gun on them and shoot them (pretend)."