Speed Watch volunteer still going strong at 88
Bill Brand has given 23 years to Whalley area
At 88 years of age Bill Brand has no plans to hand in his radar gun.
One of the oldest RCMP volunteers, Brand is also one of the longest-serving members with 23 years of service at the Whalley RCMP detachment.
Years ago he was trained to use a radar gun and totes one five days a week to help deter speeders in the RCMP’s Speed Watch program.
Using portable radar equipment and electronic digital boards, Speed Watch volunteers monitor speeds in school and playground zones, high crash zones, and neighbourhood streets.
“The RCMP back me up 100 per cent. They’re the greatest bunch of guys,” said Brand, who says an officer is always with the Speed Watch volunteers in order to issue warnings and tickets to drivers when the rules are broken.
Brand began volunteering when he grew restless six months after a heart attack and triple bypass ended his heavy-duty mechanic career.
“I said I can’t sit around home and do nothing so I applied to community policing. I was one of the original volunteers and I’ve worked with the RCMP from day one. It used to be a provincial police force and I remember when they changed over to the RCMP.”
Brand and the other Speed Watch volunteers are at schools five days a week during the school year. In the summer months he volunteers two to three times a week in playground speed zones to try to keep the streets safe for children.
The father of three and grandfather of three said he enjoys going out “rain or shine” and all of his children support his volunteer work.
“It’s the sort of thing that keeps me going and keeps my mind active,” he said.
Last year volunteers with the Speed Watch program checked nearly 300,000 vehicles, said RCMP media relations spokesman Cpl. Scotty Schumann.
“With 23 years volunteering, Mr. Brand has way more service than most police officers here have. He’s easily recognizable and definitely loved by the members of the Whalley community. It’s not always easy. He’s standing out there in inclement weather but hats off to him,” Schumann said.
Brand has volunteered more than 12,000 hours with the District 1 office in the Whalley area. There are 245 volunteers throughout the RCMP Surrey detachment and 140 of them are in the Speed Watch program.
Mr. Brand has way more service than most police officers here have... He’s standing out there in inclement weather but hats off to him.
CPL. SCOTTY SCHUMANN RCMP MEDIA RELATIONS